Our History

1974

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.

2016

Louis Skinner is promoted to Winemaker and Bob Betz becomes our Consulting Winemaker.