Quilceda Creek Vintners - History

History

Quilceda Creek Vintners was founded in 1978 by Alex and Jeanette Golitzin. Alex Golitzin is a nephew of André Tchelistcheff, one of the most influential winemakers of Napa Valley, and credits summer trips to visit his uncle in St. Helena, California with developing his early interest in wine. Tchelistcheff began consulting with Washington's largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, in the 1960s, when the Golitzin family also moved to western Washington. With encouragement and advice from his uncle, Alex Golitzin began making one barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon a year as an amateur winemaker from 1974 through 1977. Encouraged by Tchelistcheff's assessment of the results, the family opened the commercial winery in Snohomish in 1978 and produced their first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1979. The first vintage produced 150 cases (14 hL). In 1993, Alex Golitzin's son, Paul, took over responsibilities as chief winemaker. By 2000, the winery was producing 4,700 cases (420 hL) annually.

Quilceda Creek Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon has earned some of the highest reviews and awards of any wine produced in the United States. The 1999 vintage was named "Best Cabernet Sauvignon over $20" in a tasting of American wines by Food & Wine in its October 2003 issue. The 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007 vintages all scored 100-point ratings from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate. Only 15 other wines in the United States have received a 100 point score from Parker, all made from California grapes, and only five wines worldwide had ever before earned consecutive 100-point scores. The 2003 vintage of Quilceda Creek's Cabernet Sauvignon was also named the No. 2 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator.