Quilceda Creek

Since founding Quilceda Creek in 1978, the Golitzin family has relentlessly pursued their goal of crafting world-class Cabernet Sauvignon by dedicating themselves to quality every step earning critical acclaim that has driven Quilceda Creek to become one of the most sought-after wines in America.

Robert Parker’s prestigious Wine Advocate has bestowed six 100-pt ratings on the wines, a feat only a handful of wineries in the world have matched. “There isn’t a Cabernet producer with this winery’s track record for consistency,” wrote the Wine Advocate, presenting Quilceda Creek’s 2002 and 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon with perfect 100-point ratings. Two years later, the winery received another 100 point rating from Mr. Parker’s publication for the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and again for the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by two more 100-pt. scores for the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Galitzine Vineyard in 2017. Wine Spectator weighed in too, naming Quilceda Creek to its celebrated annual “Top Ten Wines in the World” list three times in the last decade. Most recently, Wine Advocate named Quilceda Creek “Best Washington State Winery 2017” at its Extraordinary Winery Awards for the Americas gala. The honor is presented to one winery in each major wine region of the world that “stands qualitatively above all others.”

It could be said that the Golitzins’ family heritage predestined the wines to greatness. A relative of Prince Lev Sergervich Golitzin, acclaimed winemaker to Russian Czar Nicholas II, the winery’s founder Alex Golitzin was born in France and lived in Paris until 1946. His family immigrated to San Francisco, and throughout his youth, Alex regularly visited Napa Valley and his maternal uncle, André Tchelistcheff, legendary Napa Valley vintner at Beaulieu Vineyard. He moved to Washington State with wife Jeannette in 1967. 

Son Paul Golitzin joined his father as winemaker in 1992 and now manages all aspects of winemaking. With a commitment to quality that rivaled his parents, Paul focused the winery’s attention on its greatest asset: the vineyards of the Columbia Valley.

The wines are made in a state-of-the-art production facility in Snohomish next door to the original family home where Alex and Jeannette crushed their first grapes. In addition to the winery’s Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Quilceda Creek also produces two celebrated Bordeaux blends, Palengat and CVR, as well as an acclaimed single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Galitzine Vineyard. The move catapulted the wines to a new level of excellence.