LUX Spring 2018

69 The team at Betz Family Winery have always operated a single-minded goal of crafting compelling wines with individual character - that are both approachable and age worthy, and which showcase Washington as a distinguished wine region of the world. We profiled the firm, gaining an insight from Steve Griessel on the company and what the team does to ensure it produces the utmost quality of wines. Established in 1997, the team at Betz Family Winery is small and make 5,500 cases of wine, but operate with a real belief that it can make a difference by being ambassadors for Washington wines, and the incredible people who form the fabric of this movement. By owning small strategic vineyards, carving out specific vineyard blocks and being meticulous in the vineyard and cellar, Betz Family Winery is able to achieve the quality to aspire to. Importantly over the years, the winery culture has become a way of life at the establishment in which everyone, including the winery’s growers, winery team and customers are considered to be family. Every year, the team assesses how it can take quality to the next level, both in the vineyards and in the winery. Not just focusing on big transformational ideas, but also on many small things that if done meticulously and at the right time, will make a difference. Steve notes what changes the company has executed in order to provide excellence. “In this regard, the team has implemented two big changes in the last four years; optical sorting and the use of unlined concrete tanks for fermentation. Optical sorting, a fairly recent development in wine grapes globally, has proved to be a game changer due to its ability to remove over and under rip fruit which vastly improves quality. Many of the first and second growth Bordeaux chateaux have purchased them as well. “From fermentation to barrel and finally to bottle, the goal is to stay true to our ideologies. Our sanitation process, the usability of our winery, attention FO170103 to detail and sensory analysis are a few of the tools that we incorporate into our daily routine. Strict winemaking, cellar and lab practices drive our goals of producing the best wine we can.” Amongst all characteristics of the Betz Family Winery, different teams share common goals, work ethic and meticulous attention to detail that satisfies clients, colleagues and the company. Whether its pruning, thinning, changing the canopy or varying the vine nutrition, we work side by side to get the best results. Steve comments on how the team are always learning, always improving, and are constantly achieving the mission of producing quality wine year on year, in turn setting up a brighter future for the facility. “The art and science of winemaking is a continuous learning adventure, again we look at the law of cause and effect. The true balance of winemaking is achieved when science and art collide, creating a bottle of wine well worth drinking.” “Moving forward, we will continue to push the boundaries of possibility, as well as staying at the leading edge of viticulture and winemaking. We need to ensure that we attract and sustain excellent people to be able to achieve this vision, as well as maintaining that they grasp the big picture of where we are heading. Also, we believe in being purpose driven, since that is the springboard of innovation. However, we do not want to grow for growth’s sake, but rather grow quality and surprise and delight customers. How we achieve this, is by winning the hearts and minds of our team, whilst leaving no stone unturned to make the best possible wines.” Ultimately, it is the quality of wine which is important to both the team and Steve. He echos what Bob Betz the founder of Betz Family has said many times, “There is no substitute for wine quality, it begins in the vineyard and ends in the cellar” “Lastly, we also love working with fellow wineries in Washington state to create and disseminate a coherent message about the incredible wine growing region we have, and how we are producing some of the most exciting wines in the world. We know that if we work together to educate our customers and the world, that we will succeed as a collective. Most of all, we believe we are the tightest knit winemaking community on the planet and we love being part of it!” Quality: From theVineyard to the Cellar Taste