You had to know Kathy to chat with her. She didn’t love small talk but she adored talking about wine. Passionate, thoughtful and genuine, Kathy was extremely gracious to me when I started reviewing wines full-time. Several times I tasted with her face to face in her Sunnyside winery. I will cherish those moments that I had with her.

Kathy had a great career prior to starting a winery with her husband Hugh. Born in 1950 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kathy played basketball in high school and later graduated with a degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri.

She made the plunge and set out for Los Angeles after college where she met her husband Hugh Shiels, M.D. After Hugh completed medical school and his residency they both settled in the Yakima Valley where Kathy worked as a physical therapist in Hugh’s orthopedic surgery practice. She and Hugh Founded the DuBrul Vineyard back in 1992 and later Cote Bonneville winery. She is one of the pioneers of Washington wine and she will be greatly missed by all of the Washington wine community and all that knew and loved her.