Snohomish, Wash., February 19, 2010 – Alex Golitzin, who with his wife Jeannette founded Washington State's Quilceda Creek winery
in 1978 and built it over four decades to become one of the most legendary Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the world, was named
a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation's annual award for "Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional" announced yesterday.
The program was established in 1967.
The honor is the latest in a series of groundbreaking awards for the critically acclaimed winery. Most notably, three of the
last five vintages (2002, 2003 and 2005) of Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon have earned 100-point ratings from Robert Parker's
Wine Advocate, one of the most influential wine publications in the world. The wine journal rated both the 2004 and 2006
vintages 99 points. Quilceda Creek is the only Washington winery, and one of only a handful of wineries world-wide, to
have earned such acclaim from the publication.
Golitzin was one of 20 semifinalists selected from thousands of online entries for the James Beard Outstanding Wine and Spirits
professional nomination. Of the 20 nominees in
the category, only three other wineries were nominated. They are Shafer Vineyards, Merry Edwards Wines and Hirsch Vineyards.
For more information visit
jamesbeard.org/awards.
Golitzin credits his son Paul Golitzin and Washington's Columbia Valley vineyards with the winery's unprecedented achievements.
Son Paul, who has shared winemaking duties with his father since joining the winery in 1992, is "unyielding, steadfast and single-minded
in his quest to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon," his father says. "Paul's drive, outstanding palate, and creative
winemaking coupled with the consistent, world-class growing conditions of the Columbia Valley have proved to be a prodigious force," says Golitzin.
Quilceda Creek has also earned exceptional acclaim for its two vineyard-focused Cabernet Sauvignons, the Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from
Red Mountain, and Palengat Cabernet Sauvignon from the Horse Heaven Hills. Its flagship 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, released to private
mailing list customers for $125 a bottle in January of this year, sold out within days of release.
Quilceda Creek is Washington State's 12th bonded winery and Washington's only winery dedicated exclusively to
Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are prized by collectors around the world for their consistent quality and age-ability.
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