FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERY
BETZ FAMILY WINERY
- WOODINVILLE, WA
Choosing Betz as our next
Featured Winery was never a question of
if, just a question of when. But this was
easier said than done. It definitely took
some time to track down and get together
with winemaker Bob Betz, one of the busiest
men in the Washington Wine Industry. With
a little perseverance however, we were finally
able to swindle some time out of this local
wine legend and boy did he deliver. Bob
did not get where he is today by cutting
corners. In fact, after meeting with him,
it was obvious that his immaculate attention
to detail is what really sets the Betz Family
Winery apart as one of the premium wineries
in Washington.
 Bob
is somewhat of a local celebrity. Not only
because of his 28 year tenure with local
wine behemoth Chateau Ste. Michelle, or
the fact that he makes fantastic wines,
but also because he has been making wine
since the near beginning of Washington’s
modern wine industry. Bob is also one of
the few people in the world (206 total)
who have earned the distinguished title
Master of Wine (M.W.). Out of the 22 M.W.’s
in the U.S. the only other professional
winemaker besides Betz to reach this accomplishment
is David Lake from Columbia Winery, also
located in Woodinville Washington. With
a failure rate of 88% for those seeking
to gain this esteemed title, this is definitely
no walk in the park. When asked about this
accomplishment, Betz nonchalantly brushed
it off with a joke about how “M.W.
stands for More Work”.
Bob Betz also recently built a new winery
on his family’s seven-acre plot in
Woodinville wherehe expertly crafts the
fantastic Betz Family wines. This move made
Bob one of the first of a few local winemakers
that already have, or are planning to move
into new, dedicated state-of-the-art wineries
in Woodinville. It was at his new winery
that Bob showed us around one afternoon,
pointing out all the details that make it
such a great place to produce high quality
wine. Along the way he shared many stories
about his history as well as his current
wine making practices. At the end of the
interview we were lucky enough to share
a few bottles of his upcoming releases.
WC: So, what were the determining
factors behind how/why you chose to build
your new space?
BB: “Movement and
Sanitation.”
Betz is a firm believer in the value of
a squeaky clean winery because “good
winemaking depends on it”. He has
worked in enough winemaking environments
throughout the years that when it came to
building his very own he knew exactly what
he wanted, down to the very last detail.
The winery was built on the basic fundamentals
of movement and sanitation. Betz wanted
a place that he could comfortably move around
in with plenty of vertical and horizontal
space. A place where all the barrels, equipment,
and of course a forklift, could all be easily
maneuvered and properly stored. In addition,
the large outside lot provides additional
workspace when needed and the inside is
quite spacious itself with a high vaulted
ceiling and wide-open walls and storage
space providing everything a place.
Sanitation, the other driving influence,
is one of single most important factors
at the core of Betz winemaking regimen.
Bob’s mantra is “good winemaking
is good sanitation.” With his new
building Bob was able to include all kinds
of elements/features promoting good sanitation,
such as the sloping floors, which drain
wash water into drains and grates, and concrete
& paneled walls that can be sprayed
down and easily cleaned. His winery was
so spotless that if some Betz’s great
wine should end up on the floor, we would
definitely apply the “five second”
rule and drop down with a straw without
a second thought. It is that clean!
 WC:
How did you get started in wine?
BB: “I was on my
way to med school.”
After graduating with a BS in Zoology from
the University of Washington, Betz applied
for admission to medical school. He was
not accepted outright but instead placed
on an alternate list. Around the same time,
he met his wife Cathy who had just returned
from a year living in France. So, with no
specific idea about if or when he would
be able to start medical school they decided
to go back to France.
At this point Betz was already fascinated
by wine and had “devoured over 40
books” on the subject. So, just like
the meticulous nature with which Betz crafts
his wines, he planned their trip to Europe
in order to hit all the major wine producing
regions and wineries. “We definitely
had a purpose.” In their time there
Bob and Cathy visited every major wine region
in Italy, France, Germany, and Austria.
Upon their return, Betz just wanted to get
involved and be a part of the industry.
He started out by managing a wine store
and then in 1976 moved on to Chateau Ste
Michelle, with his initial position in operations. “It was amazing to be a
part of the evolution of the Washington
wine phenomenon and I was thrilled to have
been there.” Betz refers to his time
at Chateau Ste Michelle as a great experience,
but he was eventually ready to move on and
open “another chapter” in his
life and winemaking career, this time with
the Betz Family Winery.
WC: How do you choose your
grapes?
BB: “For the Bordeaux-style
wines we don’t focus on a single vineyard.
I get a much better wine by blending them.
The two Syrahs are vineyard based."
When choosing what fruit (grapes) to use
in the Betz Family wines Bob chooses more
on the grapes themselves rather than focusing
on one particular vineyard. But, how he
determines which vineyards to get grapes
from is based on a very specific guideline.
“I use four criteria that define where
we get our fruit.” First, it has to
be a great site. Betz evaluates the characteristics
of the vineyard, including past performance
as well as future potential. Second, he
looks for a really smart grower. “They
have to know the business.” Third,
Betz looks for a grower with a hard work
ethic. “I know it seems redundant,
but they have to be willing to do the things
necessary to get the quality I am looking
for.” Lastly, Betz looks for growers
that will designate rows of grapes to the
Betz Family Winery and let Betz work with
it, participating in its performance and
culture.
Along with these four unwavering criteria,
and choosing the best quality grapes, Betz
is able to produce some of the best wines
in the state. In reference to their most
recent harvest Bob says that 2005 produced
the best juice he has had in nine vintages
and could be one of the top two years in
the state’s recent history. That’s
pretty exciting news coming from someone
that strives on perfection.
WC: Tell us a little about
your winemaking style.
BB: “The guiding
principal in winemaking is pleasure. We
try to do things here to optimize the pleasure
notes and still preserve the longevity.”
Betz creates each wine with the same attention
a good father provides to their child. Each
wine is cared for in a gentle loving fashion
but he is also very strict, providing the
necessary structure for the wine to grow
into something wonderful. He wants the best
for his wine, and in return he gets the
pleasure of an accomplished, well-rounded
product. And so, just like a good father
Bob Betz is very hands on, choosing to be
involved every step of the way.
Betz does not employ a lot of new age automated
machinery at his winery. He is interested
in being intimately involved with each process.
“We do not use pumps to move grapes,
must, skins or seeds, everything is done
by hand and driven by gravity.” Betz
even worked to design his own grape press.
One that was specifically not computerized,
demanding his presence and attention, not
allowing him to just set a program and walk
away.
There is no lack of focus in Betz’s
winemaking style, which is a combination
of love, knowledge, hard work and experience,This
style is reflected in his great wines that
he purposely crafts to intrigue and please
you right from the start. “A wine
doesn’t have to be 20 years old to
enjoy”. Sometimes sacrificing longevity
is what you have to do to reach that optimal
level of pleasure. “Our wines are
not weak spirited. we look for a supple
tannins and a rich harmonious mouth feel,
with the guiding measure in winemaking being
pleasure”.
WC: From your early involvement,
how do you feel about being one of the guiding
forces of the Washington wine industry?
BB: “Being involved
as the spawning ground for the next generation
is exciting. We are creating a legacy that
will live on in our wines.”
Betz is thrilled to be one of the pioneers
in the state of Washington and equally excited
as he continues to keep making quality wine
and works to further explore new ways to
“express Washington’s fruity
intensity”. “We have come from
a period of adolescence to adulthood; we
are not at maturity yet however”.
This is still just the beginning in the
history of Washington’s wine industry.
 Betz
Family Winery
Phone: (425) 861.9823
Fax: (425) 861.9853
bob@betzfamilywinery.com
Mailing Address:
PO Box 39
Woodinville, WA 98072 USA
Winery Address:
13244 Woodinville Redmond Road NE
Redmond, WA 98052 USA
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