Bob and Cathy Betz complete their year of “training” in vineyards of France, Italy and Germany.
1975
Bob starts his 28 year career at Chateau St. Michelle, the preeminent wine company in Washington.
1984
Bob is appointed Vice President Winemaking Research at Chateau St. Michelle.
1997
Bob and Cathy crush their first vintage of Betz Family wines with 150 cases. The wines are made in the warehouse district of Woodinville, with help from their volunteer friends.
1998
Bob receives his Master of Wine degree, one of only 278 MW’s in the world. The exam has a 12% pass rate. Bob receives the Robert Mondavi Award for the highest scores in all theory exams and the Villa Maria Award for the highest scores in the viticultural exam.
2005
Bob and Cathy build a state of the art winery in Woodinville, Washington.
2007
Bob is named as Sunset Magazine’s Winemaker of the Year.
2008
The Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is named Washington’s Number One Wine of the Year by the Seattle Times wine critic, Paul Gregutt.
2011
Bob and Cathy sell Betz Family Winery to Steve and Bridgit Griessel with Bob remaining as the winery’s patriarch, mentor and Winemaker.
2012
2009 Pere de Famille, Cabernet Sauvignon is named Washington red wine of the year by Seattle Magazine.
2014
2010 Pere de Famille is ranked #6 in the World in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections. 2012 Le Parrain, Cabernet Sauvignon rated 99 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
2015
Betz Family purchases the Old Stone Vineyard in the Rocks of Milton Freewater and 40 acres on SeVein in Walla Walla.
2024
Seattle-based Ackley Brands acquires Betz Family Winery. Ackley was honored to introduce this highly acclaimed and much-beloved Washington winery to its portfolio.
