Betz Family Winery, About Us

			Our winery is a labor of love. Our first vintage was 1997, when we produced about 150 cases total. Our goal is to craft 2500-3000 cases annually, limiting ourselves to a quantity that we can directly watch over. By working with selected, dedicated grape growers and employing methods that we believe craft superior wine, we hope to create wines of individual character, a blend of richness, balance and pleasure. Our winemaking focuses on the purity of the individual varieties and the vineyards they come from. We do those things that a small winery has the luxury of doing: we know every barrel.

			BOB BETZ, MW Bob makes the wines at Betz Family Winery, the realization of a life-long passion. Since the early 1970's, Bob has been wandering the vineyards in Europe and the US to better understand the why and how of crafting fine wine. His philosophy is pretty simple: don't mess up what the vineyards have provided. Start with the highest quality fruit you can, treat it vigorously when necessary, gently most of the time, and stay out of its way but watch it closely. Allow the wines to develop slowly, and make sure they provide pleasure. Bob holds the degree of Master of Wine, a rare designation awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine in London. Since the Institute's inauguration in 1953, only 260 people worldwide have passed the exams necessary to be awarded the title. Pass rate for the examination process is about 12% over the past 5 decades. The Institute of Masters of Wine promotes excellence and achievement in the wine industry, culminating in an internationally recognized qualification of Master of Wine, or MW. Candidates for the MW are required to pass the most rigorous testing in the wine industry which includes four days of written theory exams and three days of written blind tasting exams. A graduate thesis on a specific winemaking topic must also be completed. Bob's focus was on the interaction of wine and barrels during the maturation process. All segments deal with the analysis and assessment of wine in all its disciplines, from growing and making, through sensory analysis and selling. The exams are designed to test the candidate's understanding of the international wine industry, as well as depth and breadth of wine knowledge, with an emphasis on analytical skills and clarity of presentation. Bob was given two additional awards in successfully completing the exams: the Villa Maria Award, for the highest scores on the viticultural exam, and the Robert Mondavi Award, for the highest overall scores in all theory exams. Sunset Magazine Western Wine Awards 2007 Bob Betz, MW Winemaker of the Year Read the article in the September 2007 issue.


			CATHY BETZ Cathy is President of the winery. She was first exposed to wine while living in Lyon, France in the late 1960's with a wine-loving family. Her senses and interest were sparked by the sheer culinary excellence of the area and her French family. She learned that wine was always an integral part of the meal, even being served daily in the high school cafeteria. Since then she has traversed the vineyards of Europe and the US with Bob. Upon returning from Europe to the Northwest she worked in wine retail sales. Cathy started Primavera Imports in 1994 and currently imports and distributes fine olive oil from Tuscany and balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. Cathy manages the business of the winery: bookkeeping, government compliance and document shuffling. But these office duties can't keep her from spending time outdoors and with her grandson. Visit Primavera Imports


			CARMEN BETZ Carmen shares her parents' passion for food, wine and travel. She has long had a wanderlust spirit and studied in Spain and Mexico, graduating from the University of Washington as a Spanish major. Her post-grad study was 6 months taking in the cellars and sites of Western Europe. She has been working for the family winery since 2003 and is currently Director of Sales. She plans and executes all sales, directly to consumers, to restaurants and wine stores in Washington and to our national distributors. She also manages Primavera Imports, the family's olive oil and Balsamic vinegar importing business. Before starting with us in 2003 she held sales positions with Robert Mondavi Winery in California and with Columbia Distributing in Seattle. With her long exposure to the industry, Carmen has developed a strong knowledge of the world of wines and a keen palate. Her passions include her four year old son, Jake, and as a Seattle native, all the outdoor activity the Northwest has to offer.


			KATHRYN HOUSE "Kat", our assistant winemaker, works the cellar with Bob, making the place hum. She eagerly attacks the full range of winemaking operations, from laboratory analyses to barrel washing. Her keen palate is a welcomed addition to our sensory work, as is her unlimited enthusiasm to our team spirit. Kat also is the viticulture lecturer at the Northwest Wine Academy Program at South Seattle Community College. Kat completed her thesis for a Masters degree in Horticulture from Washington State University. She got her first taste of wine while growing up in California's wine country. Before joining the Betz Family team she had interned at Pepperbridge Winery in Walla Walla during harvest 2005 learning valuable lessons from winemaker Jean Francois Pellet.



			CARLA BETZ Also seen from time to time at Betz Family Winery is our younger daughter, Carla Betz. When not pursuing her career in LA as a rock star (see www.thetrainwrecks.com), she joins the family for winery work and events. Carla loves red wine and often comes up with new insight and a unique way of describing what she tastes. She is also undefeated in family chess and scrabble games.



			Bob with his grandson, Jake.