"The challenge for me is to deliver wines that exceed expectations year after year at all levels." Ray Einberger, Winemaker
Head WinemakerRay Einberger
Einberger, who became Head Winemaker in 2002, joined Columbia Crest in 1993 and worked to establish the winery’s acclaimed Reserve program, which under his leadership has received consistently high scores and blossomed to a 20,000 case annual production.
The cellar operations for the Reserve wines were modeled, in part, on Einberger’s experience as Maître de Chai for Napa Valley’s Opus One from 1991 to 1993.
As a member of the Opus One international winemaking team, Einberger also worked in the cellars of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Clerc Milon. Wines from these vintages earned some of Opus One’s highest acclaim. Einberger also traveled extensively to learn traditional Bordeaux winemaking techniques.
The similarities between French and Washington state vineyards drew Einberger to Columbia Crest.
“The first time I tasted Columbia Crest’s wines I was impressed by the fruit expression,” said Einberger. “The Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots showed purity of fruit and tremendous character but at the same time had the soft, balanced tannins and complexity that I had seen in France. They had the potential to be very good, consumer-friendly everyday wines but also truly great, world-class wines.”
Einberger believes that to make outstanding wines of distinction and style one must have a balance between tradition and innovation, with an eye towards creativity. “Columbia Crest,” he says, “has given me the freedom to create quality wines that over-deliver on flavor and value.”
“The challenge for me is to deliver wines that beat all expectations year after year at all levels,” he explains. “We accomplish this through a perfect balance of good people, vineyards, winemaking techniques, machinery and equipment.”
Under Einberger’s leadership, the Columbia Crest winemaking team has produced more 90+-scoring bottles of wine than any other winery in the world.
In addition to his work at Opus One, Einberger’s pre-Columbia Crest experience includes stints at Silverado Vineyards and Round Hill Cellars, both in the Napa Valley. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University and took graduate courses in enology and viticulture at Napa Valley College and the University of California, Davis.
