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Inventory updated: Thu, Apr 23, 2026 04:02 PM cst
Betz Family: Washington Reds That Overdeliver
If you’re looking to stock up on serious Washington reds, it’s time to revisit Betz Family Winery—a benchmark producer that consistently punches above its weight.
Founded by Master of Wine Bob Betz, Betz built its reputation on crafting Bordeaux- and Rhône-inspired blends that highlight the depth and structure of Washington State fruit. Today, that philosophy continues with wines that deliver polish, balance, and impressive age-worthiness.
Standouts include the Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon—layered with dark cherry, cassis, and graphite, framed by fine tannins and a long, savory finish. The Clos de Betz blend offers a seamless mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, combining richness with elegance. For Rhône lovers, La Côte Rousse brings Syrah to life with notes of blackberry, smoked meat, and spice, while the Besoleil Mourvèdre showcases darker fruit and earthy complexity.
What sets Betz apart is its ability to marry Old World structure with New World generosity. These are wines that drink beautifully now with a decant but will also reward patience in the cellar.
Whether you’re building out your collection or looking for versatile, high-quality reds for the table, Betz delivers exceptional value for the pedigree.
The following are the wines remaining from the offer sent on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Please enter your desired quantities and click the 'Add' button.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Betz Family Winery |
2009 |
Chapitre 3 Syrah  Signed Bottle |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (12/2012): A bottling from selected barrels of Ciel du Cheval, Ranch at the End of the Road, and Boushey vineyards (such as was also rendered in 2005), Betz’s 2009 Syrah Chapitre 3 displays formidable tannins and a tight, almost tense character – flatteringly high glycerol notwithstanding – that easily explains why he didn’t release it until a year later than his other wines of this vintage. If the Cote Patriarche from this year merits my adjective “sinister,” this Chapitre 3 is playing bass notes way below the bar line. Blackberry and cassis mingle with soy, bitter chocolate, and charred roasted red meat. The berry juiciness here is strongly marked by bitterness of pit and invigorating crunch of seeds, contributing to a profound, reverberative finish at once brooding and energetically charged. This is going to be quite something to follow over the next ten or a dozen years. |
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2001 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$65 |
1 |
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| |
VM 90+ (11/2003): Good full red. Currant, black cherry, licorice, meat, graphite and smoky oak on the nose. Sappy on entry, then tight and minerally in the middle, with the wine's acids and oak currently keeping the fruit under wraps. Densely packed but a bit youthfully awkward today. The firm, persistent finish offers a suggestion of green tea. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 90 (8/2004): Sweet red currant liqueur, cassis, and copious spices make up the nose of the outstanding 2001 Clos de Betz. A suave, densely packed, medium to full-bodied wine, it reveals an intense character of red cherries, blackberries, black currants, and notes of brambleberries. A hint of alcohol was detected in the finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2011. |
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2001 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$65 |
2 |
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VM 90+ (11/2003): Good full red. Currant, black cherry, licorice, meat, graphite and smoky oak on the nose. Sappy on entry, then tight and minerally in the middle, with the wine's acids and oak currently keeping the fruit under wraps. Densely packed but a bit youthfully awkward today. The firm, persistent finish offers a suggestion of green tea. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 90 (8/2004): Sweet red currant liqueur, cassis, and copious spices make up the nose of the outstanding 2001 Clos de Betz. A suave, densely packed, medium to full-bodied wine, it reveals an intense character of red cherries, blackberries, black currants, and notes of brambleberries. A hint of alcohol was detected in the finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2011. |
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2006 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
4 |
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VM 93+ (12/2008): (a blend of 52% merlot; 30% cabernet sauvignon, 13% cabernet franc and 5% malbec) Bright red-ruby color. Subdued but pure and highly complex nose features candied cherry and red berries, brown spices, flowers and sexy dried herbs. Wonderfully silky and subtle on entry, then juicy and sharply delineated but quite closed in the middle, with terrific acidity and a strong spice character contributing to the impression of purity and lift. The note of cherry candy follows through on the palate. I'd give this youthfully tight wine five years in the cellar. Incidentally, winemaker Bob Betz told me that as of 2008 there will be no cabernet franc or malbec in this cuvee.
WA 93 (12/2008): The Bordeaux-styled wines start with the 2006 Clos de Betz, a blend of 61% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It was aged for 16 months in 70% new French oak. Purple/black in color, it reveals a fragrant nose of pain grille, pencil lead, scorched earth, black cherry, blackberry, and plum. This leads to a smooth-textured, intense, layered wine with superb depth and concentration and enough stuffing to evolve for 4-6 years. It will reach its peak by 2012 and remain at that level through 2026. |
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2007 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$50 |
3 |
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| WA 94 (10/2009): The 2007 Clos de Betz is a blend of six grape varieties (56% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Mourvedre, and Petit Verdot) sourced from several Columbia Valley AVAs. It was raised in 70% new French oak for 12-14 months. Purple-colored, it reveals an alluring bouquet of spice box, violets, incense, black currant, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it displays an elegant personality along with considerable complexity. Expressive black fruits mingle with earth and spice notes, plenty of ripe, fine-grained tannin, and a lengthy finish. Give this rich, substantial effort 4-6 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2027. |
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2008 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
6 |
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WA 95 (8/2010): The Bordeaux-styled wines begin with the 2008 Clos de Betz, a multi-regional blend from four renowned vineyards, and composed of 66% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 16 months in 65% new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it surrenders an expressive nose of pain grille, graphite, Asian spices, a hint of balsamic, black currant, and blackberry. On the palate it admirably combines elegance with power. It has superb concentration, incipient complexity, layers of fruit, and a lengthy finish. Give it 6-8 years of additional cellaring and then drink it through its 25th birthday.
VM 93 (12/2010): Deep, full ruby-red. Dark berries, licorice, bitter chocolate and graphite on the nose and palate. Densely packed but showing superb energy and lift to the flavors of dark berries, cocoa powder and violet. There's nothing rustic about these classy wines. Finishes with terrific clarity and lively minerality. |
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2009 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$125 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (8/2011): The wines utilizing Bordeaux grapes begin with the 2009 Clos de Betz which is composed of 65% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot aged for 16 months in 65% new French oak barriques. Opaque purple in color, it offers up a brooding bouquet of toasty oak, exotic spices, herbs, violets, black currant, and blackberry. Opulent on the palate, the wine has Outstanding volume, a laser-like focus, layered fruit, and succulent flavors. This sizable effort will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring and drink well through 2028.
VM 92 (10/2011): (65% merlot, 29% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot; aged in 65% new oak and 35% once-used barrels): Good bright red-ruby. Rather withdrawn nose hints at cassis, licorice and aromatic oak. Broad, sweet and tactile on entry, then plump and sweet in the middle, showing a distinct cocoa powder quality from its very ripe merlot component. Not quite as expressive as the syrahs, but then this was bottled more recently (April of 2011, vs. November of 2010). Finishes with very suave, fine-grained tannins. |
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2010 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$135 |
2 |
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| VM 93+ (12/2012): (58% merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon and 7% petit verdot): Bright, full red. Spicy high notes to the aromas of raspberry, graphite, sandalwood and cocoa powder. Juicy, perfumed and precise; not a fleshy style but elegant, vibrant and extremely young. Today the wine's mid-palate flavors and texture are still a bit suppressed by the bottling, but this long, firm-edged wine has the structure and inherent material to be Outstanding. In fact, I retasted the 2009 next to it, and while that wine was silkier and plusher, it is not likely to match the 2010 for complexity a few years down the road. |
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2011 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$115 |
1 |
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VM 93 (11/2013): (67% merlot, 28% cabernet sauvignon and 5% petit verdot; aged in 65% new oak): Good bright, deep red. Redcurrant, cocoa powder and musky tobacco on the nose. Gentle and creamy in the mouth for 2011, with harmonious ripe acidity framing the sweet red berry, cherry and cocoa powder flavors. This floral merlot-based wine is supported by firm acids and tannins but comes across as quite feminine in style. Betz notes that 2011 was a very good year for merlot. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 91 (6/2014): Moving to the Bordeaux blends, the 2011 Clos de Betz (67% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) shows the vintage profile with its mid-weight, lively and overall fresh feel. Black currants, spring flowers, mint and hints of lead pencil and cedar flow from the glass and this medium-bodied, lively and balanced red has bright acidity that’s balanced by good concentration and depth. Give it another 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2023. |
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2011 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
1 |
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VM 93 (11/2013): (67% merlot, 28% cabernet sauvignon and 5% petit verdot; aged in 65% new oak): Good bright, deep red. Redcurrant, cocoa powder and musky tobacco on the nose. Gentle and creamy in the mouth for 2011, with harmonious ripe acidity framing the sweet red berry, cherry and cocoa powder flavors. This floral merlot-based wine is supported by firm acids and tannins but comes across as quite feminine in style. Betz notes that 2011 was a very good year for merlot. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 91 (6/2014): Moving to the Bordeaux blends, the 2011 Clos de Betz (67% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) shows the vintage profile with its mid-weight, lively and overall fresh feel. Black currants, spring flowers, mint and hints of lead pencil and cedar flow from the glass and this medium-bodied, lively and balanced red has bright acidity that’s balanced by good concentration and depth. Give it another 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2023. |
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2013 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
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WA 94 (6/2016): The only other 2013 reviewed on this go around (most were reviewed last year), the 2013 Clos de Betz checks in as a blend of 63% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Petit Verdot, mostly from Red Mountain and Yakima Valley, that spent 19 months in French oak. Sexy, supple, perfumed and beautifully complex, with notes of currants, dried flowers and an almost garrigue like perfume, this full-bodied beauty is already impossible to resist, yet will absolutely cruise for another 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2015): Bright medium ruby. Aromas and flavors of kirsch, black raspberry and molten dark chocolate. Plush, round and voluptuous without communicating any undue weight. Comes across as a bit less concentrated than the three 2013 Syrah bottlings--and lower in dry extract than the 2012 Clos de Betz--but boasts lovely energy and finesse. Best today on the subtle, rising finish. (Drink between 2017-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$59 |
1 |
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WA 94 (6/2016): The only other 2013 reviewed on this go around (most were reviewed last year), the 2013 Clos de Betz checks in as a blend of 63% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Petit Verdot, mostly from Red Mountain and Yakima Valley, that spent 19 months in French oak. Sexy, supple, perfumed and beautifully complex, with notes of currants, dried flowers and an almost garrigue like perfume, this full-bodied beauty is already impossible to resist, yet will absolutely cruise for another 10-15 years.
VM 93 (11/2015): Bright medium ruby. Aromas and flavors of kirsch, black raspberry and molten dark chocolate. Plush, round and voluptuous without communicating any undue weight. Comes across as a bit less concentrated than the three 2013 Syrah bottlings--and lower in dry extract than the 2012 Clos de Betz--but boasts lovely energy and finesse. Best today on the subtle, rising finish. (Drink between 2017-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2014 |
Clos de Betz Proprietary Blend |
$55 |
2 |
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WA 95 (6/2017): Possessing the highest percentage of Merlot ever for the cuvee (at least until the 2015), the 2014 Clos de Betz is 71% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot that’s just under half from Red Mountain fruit and the rest from Columbia Valley sites. Notes of cassis, licorice, damp herbs, chocolate and earth all flow to a medium to full-bodied, supple, elegant and incredibly polished 2014 that needs 2-3 years of bottle age and will keep for 10-15 years.
JD 95 (4/2018): Including the highest percentage of Merlot ever, the 2014 Clos de Betz checks in as 71% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Petit Verdot. It offers a beautiful bouquet of cassis, licorice, violets, and earthy, herbal notes as well as a medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant style on the palate. It’s tight and closed, yet has remarkable purity and depth. Give bottles 2-3 years of bottle age.
VM 94 (11/2016): Bright, dark red-ruby. Alluring floral lift to the aromas of blackberry, cassis, Bing cherry, sweet spices and anise. Sweet, plush wine with great sex appeal to its intense, pliant flavors of amarena cherry, flint and spicy oak. Really remarkable--and not at all stewed--for Merlot from a hot year; Betz noted that he picked these vines early, "with tension and vitality." Finishes very long and smooth, with suave, perfectly supported tannins dusting the front teeth. A great, velvety Merlot-based wine from Washington. Betz adds some Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot to wine "to provide more structure, nuance and color." (Drink between 2018-2026). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2014 |
Heart of the Hill Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
6 |
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WA 97+ (6/2017): My note for the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Heart of the Hill started, and ended, with a big “Wow.” Unfortunately, there’s a scant ten barrels to go around, but it boasts a sensational bouquet of graphite, crushed rocks, black and blue fruits and lead pencil shavings that just scream Red Mountain. With full-bodied richness, building tannin, a stacked mid-palate and blockbuster finish, it needs to be forgotten for at least 5-7 years.
JD 95+ (7/2022): The first vintage for this cuvée, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Heart Of The Hill comes from a mix of Clone 8 and Clone 2 and was vinified in concrete and aged mostly in new barrels. It's a big, blockbuster beauty offering tons of blue fruits as well as spicy, graphite, and chalky mineral-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, it has lots of tannins, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It certainly brings the fruit today, but it needs another couple of years for the tannins to soften and will cruise for another two decades as well. (Drink between 2024-2044).
VM 91+ (11/2016): Aromas of musky red and darker berries, black plum, dark chocolate, smoky minerality and dried herbs. Broad, glossy and sweet but with less early complexity to its dark berry and licorice flavors than the Cuvée Frangin. This more structured, youthful wine finishes with rather chewy, strong, tongue-dusting tannins. (Drink between 2019-2027). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2008 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah |
$40 |
2 |
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VM 93+ (11/2010): (from Red Willow Vineyard) Deep, full bright ruby. Very primary aromas of blackberry and cocoa powder. Dense, thick and very intense, with wonderfully pure fruit-driven flavors of blackberry and loganberry. Offers a superb balance of fruit, acids and tannins. Finishes very long and pure, with lovely aromatic lift and nuance. An Outstanding wine in the making. These 2008 syrahs aged in 50% new oak, but Betz noted he's now using a higher percentage of slightly larger 300-liter barrels, and more Burgundy barrels. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 93 (8/2010): The 2008 Syrah La Cote Patriarche was sourced from the Red Willow Vineyard in Yakima Valley, site of the oldest Syrah planting in Washington dating from 1986. It, too, was aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak. Dense purple in color (like the La Serenne), it sports a nose of brooding black fruits, lavender, Asian spices, smoked meat, blue berry, and plum. This leads to a plush, full-figured Syrah with well-concealed tannins, excellent depth of flavor, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. |
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2009 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$119 |
1 |
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| VM 93 (10/2011): (from Red Willow Vineyard vines planted in 1986): Bright red-ruby. Wild, musky aromas of strawberry, flint, roasted meat, bacon fat, iodine and fresh blood. Lush and sweet in the mouth, with a wonderfully fine-grained texture that almost hides the wine's intensity and complexity today. The long, youthfully imploded finish features sweet tannins and a piquant note of white pepper. |
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2010 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah (1.5 L) |
$150 |
1 |
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| VM 95 (12/2012): Good full red-ruby. Pungent aromas of black raspberry, flint and licorice, lifted by an exotic white fruit quality. Very dense and pliant but with a light touch to the flavors of dark berries, tar and smoke lifted by minerals, peach and orange peel. Extremely closed and youthful but balanced from the start. Very elegantly styled and impressively intense wine with exotic high notes that remind me of a top Cote-Rotie. |
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2011 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah (1.5 L) Autographed Bottle |
$145 |
1 |
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VM 94+ (11/2013): Highly nuanced nose combines dark berries, smoke, stony minerality, pepper and flowers. Floral, cool and precise yet silky too; delivers outstanding intensity without weight thanks to ripe, harmonious acidity. Captivating, soil-driven notes of lavender, smoke and garrigue add nuance to the dark berry fruit. Finishes very long, with noble tannins and clear projection of terroir . This can be enjoyed now owing to its utterly seamless texture, but has the depth and energy to enjoy a slow and graceful evolution in bottle. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 93 (6/2014): Coming from the Red Willow Vineyard, on the western side of the Yakima Valley, and from the old Syrah vines planted in the state, the 2011 La Cote Patriarche is more similar to the La Serenne, with its vibrant, lively perfume of blueberry, violets, olive and underbrush. More concentrated on the palate however, it has medium to full-bodied richness that’s cut nicely by juicy acidity and additional minerality that comes through on the finish. Beautifully proportioned, with a rock mid-palate, this lively, elegant and seamless beauty will be better in another 2-3 years, and thrill over the following decade. |
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2012 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah (1.5 L) |
$140 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (6/2014): A cuvee that’s not produced in every vintage, the 2012 Cote Patriarche comes all from the Red Willow vineyard and mostly from the oldest Syrah vines planted in Washington. Inky purple in color, with mineral-laced blackberry, cassis, crushed flowers, smoked earth and licorice, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, a seamless texture and an overriding sense of elegance that carries through the finish. Knockout stuff, it too will have 15+ years of longevity. |
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2012 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah |
$55 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (6/2014): A cuvee that’s not produced in every vintage, the 2012 Cote Patriarche comes all from the Red Willow vineyard and mostly from the oldest Syrah vines planted in Washington. Inky purple in color, with mineral-laced blackberry, cassis, crushed flowers, smoked earth and licorice, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, a seamless texture and an overriding sense of elegance that carries through the finish. Knockout stuff, it too will have 15+ years of longevity. |
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2015 |
La Cote Patriarche Syrah (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
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| JD 95 (4/2018): The 2015 Syrah La Cote Patriarche is a small step back from the sensational 2014, yet is still an incredible wine. Coming from some of the oldest Syrah vines in the state, planted in the Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, it offers beautiful blue fruits, spring flowers, licorice, and sappy herb-like aromas and flavors. It’s fresh, elegant, and silky, with fabulous purity of fruit and a medium to full-bodied richness and depth. It’s a beautiful Syrah to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years. |
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2008 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah |
$45 |
2 |
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| WA 94 (8/2010): The 2008 Syrah La Cote Rousse was sourced from the Ciel du Cheval and Kiona Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA and was aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak. A bit lighter in color but with more mineral and earth notes as well as meaty blue and black fruit aromas, on the palate it is more structured (something for which Red Mountain fruit is noted) but the tannins are nicely integrated behind layers of concentrated, spicy fruit. This lengthy offering will benefit from 5-7 years of additional cellaring and should easily see its 20th birthday in fine form. |
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2009 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$119 |
1 |
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| VM 94 (10/2011): (Aged in 50% new and 50% once-used barrels): Good bright medium ruby. Tight, pure aromas of black raspberry, strawberry, white pepper and flowers, complicated by a sexy apricot quality. Suave on entry, then spicy and aromatic in the middle, with firm acidity and a repeating note of white pepper contributing to the impression of sharp definition. This dense, supple wine is very long on the aftertaste. |
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2009 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah |
$50 |
3 |
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| VM 94 (10/2011): (Aged in 50% new and 50% once-used barrels): Good bright medium ruby. Tight, pure aromas of black raspberry, strawberry, white pepper and flowers, complicated by a sexy apricot quality. Suave on entry, then spicy and aromatic in the middle, with firm acidity and a repeating note of white pepper contributing to the impression of sharp definition. This dense, supple wine is very long on the aftertaste. |
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2010 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$109 |
1 |
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| VM 93+ (12/2012): (from a warmer site than the La Serenne): Bright red-ruby. Black raspberry, flowers, minerals and spices on the nose, plus a hint of black walnut that reminded me of Hermitage. Juicy on entry, then sinewy and penetrating in the middle, and clearly less pliant and sweet today than the La Serenne. The dark fruit and bitter chocolate flavors are supported by obvious Red Mountain structure. For all its power, the minerally, spicy, peppery finish displays very fine-grained tannins and lovely subtle persistence. Actually a bit higher in pH than the La Serenne but this is likely to need at least as much time in the cellar--say five or six years. |
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2011 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah (1.5 L) Autographed Bottle |
$119 |
1 |
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VM 93+ (11/2013): Bright ruby-red. Complex nose melds cranberry, licorice, minerals and smoke. Sappy, smooth and light on its feet, showing terrific lift to its sexy flavors of red berries, flowers, pepper and game. Youthfully sinewy and complex wine with a rising, perfumed finish showing great class. Really high-quality barrels here! Betz noted that he's now working to "take down the overall astringency of the wines through reduced skin contact, generally gentler extraction, and more seed removal." He explained: "Red Mountain fruit does not need any more seed phenolics." Stephen Tanzer.
WA 93 (6/2014): Darker in color, the opaque-purple 2011 Syrah La Cote Rousse is a richer, fuller Syrah that offers up plenty of chocolaty black fruits, crushed rock, pepper, liquid smoke and iron to go with a medium to full-bodied, balanced, concentrated, yet elegant and classy feel on the palate. Made from 100% Syrah and coming from 65% Ciel du Cheval and 35% Ranch at the End of the Road Vineyards, it has juicy acidity, but also excellent concentration and depth. It should evolve gracefully for 10-12 years. |
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2012 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah |
$59 |
1 |
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| WA 95 (6/2014): More mineral-driven, with savory spices, dried earth and floral notes balanced by a rocking core of fruit, the 2012 Syrah La Cote Rousse is more backwards and reticent than the La Serenne, and will need short-term cellaring to unwind. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, high, yet sweet tannin, and a terrific finish, this awesome Syrah will be at its best from 2017-2027. |
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2015 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah (1.5 L) |
$125 |
1 |
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| JD 96 (4/2018): As usual, the 2015 Syrah La Cote Rousse offers a more masculine, structured, mineral-driven style. This cuvee comes all from the warmer Red Mountain AVA and is a power-packed 2015 loaded with notions of black, black fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and charred meats. It’s a big, rich, inky effort, yet like all the wines from this estate has awesome purity of fruit and is impeccably balanced. |
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2008 |
La Serenne Syrah |
$55 |
2 |
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| WA 93 (8/2010): The 2008 Syrah La Serenne is sourced entirely from the Boushey Vineyard in Yakima Valley. It is aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it delivers a brooding bouquet of smoke, Asian spices, incense, lavender, game, blueberry, and plum. Dense, layered, and powerful, it manages to maintain a sense of elegance and balance. It has enough structure to evolve for several years and should drink well through 2023. |
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2009 |
La Serenne Syrah (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$119 |
1 |
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| VM 93 (10/2011): (100% Phelps clone, from Boushey Vineyard; the crop load was low in 2009 due to a poor set): Bright ruby-red. Pungent, musky aromas of blueberry, cocoa powder and flowers. Juicy and light on its feet, with lovely definition and grip to its berry and floral flavors. An intriguing wild streak runs through this wine from start to very long, firmly tannic finish. Not at all a thick style of syrah, but has the backbone to develop more nuance with bottle age. |
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2010 |
La Serenne Syrah (1.5 L) |
$89 |
1 |
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| VM 94 (12/2012): (from Boushey Vineyard fruit): Bright nose features musky black raspberry, smoke, minerals, chocolate and a whiff of tar. Bright, delineated and intense, conveying terrific acidity for syrah. Proprietor Betz describes 2010 as "a return to structure in syrah" and this wine is also extremely primary, with tarry minerality and a cracked pepper quality adding nuance. Finishes with firm but suave tannins, excellent grip and terrific peppery lift. In texture, this wine is midway between Cote-Rotie and Saint-Joseph, and wonderfully fresh. |
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2011 |
La Serenne Syrah (1.5 L) Autographed Bottle |
$89 |
1 |
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VM 93+ (11/2013): Lucid red-ruby color. Aromatic scents of boysenberry and graphite. Lovely spicy, peppery lift and energy to the brooding, primary dark berry flavors. Intense and impeccably balanced wine with a light touch and lovely lingering perfume. This is a moderate 13.8% alcohol, with a relatively low pH (for this wine) of 3.62 and 6.1 grams per liter acidity. Owing to its serious inner-mouth tension, I'd wait a couple years before pulling the cork on this beauty. Incidentally, winemaker Betz cut the percentage of new oak aging from 65% to 45%, and noted that his crop level in 2011 was a good 15% lower than the previous year, partly due to the damaging frost in November of 2010. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 92 (6/2014): Coming from the Boushey Vineyard, which is the highest elevation vineyard of the three Syrahs, the 2011 Syrah La Serenne is 100% Syrah that was aged in a combination of new and neutral barrels. As with the Besoleil, it’s beautifully perfumed and elegant, with Cote-Rotie-like pepper, game and bacon fat to go with notions of blueberry, blackberry and violets. Medium-bodied, juicy, lively and pure, it’s a fabulous and elegant effort to enjoy over the coming decade. |
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2012 |
La Serenne Syrah (1.5 L) |
$109 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (6/2014): As for the Syrah-driven wines, they do two main cuvees, one focusing on Boushey Vineyard, the La Serenne, and the other on Red Mountain, the La Cote Rousse. The 2012 Syrah La Serenne is a 100% Syrah that was aged in 50% new French oak prior to bottling. I think the greatest vintage of this cuvee to date, it boasts an incredibly inky purple color to go with notions of creme de cassis, damp earth, graphite, smoke and licorice that flow to a full-bodied, voluptuously textured profile on the palate. Despite all of the richness, it stays thrillingly focused and shows the purity and elegance of the site. Enjoy it anytime over the coming 10-15 years. |
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2012 |
Le Parrain Proprietary Blend |
$119 |
3 |
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WA 99 (5/2015): A wine that flirts with perfection, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon le Parrain consists of 9 barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon, all from Red Mountain (Ciel du Cheval, Kiona and Heart of the Hill vineyards), that spent 20 months in 100% new French oak. Only made twice since 1997, it offers an extraordinary bouquet of cassis, lead pencil shavings, liquid violets and crushed rock. This gives way to a full-bodied, layered, elegant, yet massively concentrated wine that never puts of foot wrong, is always perfectly balanced and has incredible purity of fruit. Tasting like a first growth Bordeaux from a great vintage, it will need a decade of cellaring and keep for a quarter of a century. Hats off to the team here for this stunner!
VM 95 (11/2015): (100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Kiona and Ciel du Cheval vineyards on Red Mountain; aged for 20 months in all new French barriques, mostly from Taransaud and Seguin-Moreau): Deep medium ruby. Very pure, alluring aromas of black cherry, cassis, brown spices, menthol, herbs and black olive. Offers a rare combination of seamless mouth feel, serious weight and Outstanding energy, conveying powerful vinosity to the flavors of dark fruits, spices and dark chocolate. Finishes with big but refined tannins, fully buffered by the wine's very high 30 grams/liter dry extract. Incredibly dense, large-scaled, classic Cabernet with Outstanding palate presence and length. This special bottling was only made previously in vintage 2005, when it was Betz's first-ever 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine. "It's got to be better and different," said Betz. "And we won't bottle this fruit separately if that meant compromising our regular wine." |
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2009 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$135 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (8/2011): The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is made up of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and 8% Merlot aged for 16 months in 65% new French oak. Doing a fine impersonation of a classified growth Pauillac, it offers up a nose of sandalwood, Asian spices, incense, herbal notes, violets, black currants, and blackberry. This sets the stage for an already complex, elegant, smooth-textured, structured wine that will evolve for another 5-7 years. This lengthy, impressive effort will offer prime time drinking from 2016 to 2029. |
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2010 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$145 |
3 |
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WA 95+ (6/2013): More firm and structured than the 2011, the Cabernet Sauvignon- dominated 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is a classic Washington State Bordeaux blend and has notions of black currant, pencil shavings, tobacco and mineral all showing on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, it too leans towards the elegant end of the spectrum with superb purity of fruit, clean acidity and ripe, polished tannin. Give it 2-3 years in the cellar and follow over the subsequent 15 years or more. Drink 2016-2025.
VM 94+ (12/2012): (86% cabernet sauvignon, 6% petit verdot and 8% merlot): Bright red-ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, redcurrant, dried mint and thyme. Densely packed, tactile and sweet but youthfully bound-up, with brisk acidity giving terrific cut and precision to the wine's dark fruit and spearmint flavors. Finishes with strong tannic spine and a terrific structure for aging. As young as this cabernet is, with its inner-mouth perfume it's showier today than the Clos de Betz. I'd wait at least five years on this one. Interestingly, Bob Betz told me that the latest pickers got prunes in 2010 waiting for their pHs to go up and acids to come down. "Still, October saved the vintage," he added. (The 2009 Pere de Famille, which I rated 93(+?) last year, had gained in fullness and pliancy with another year in bottle, and merited 94 points. But the 2010 should show an even more eventful evolution in bottle.) |
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2011 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) Signed Bottle |
$135 |
2 |
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VM 94+ (11/2013): (blended with 9% petit verdot and 3% merlot): Good bright red-ruby. Musky red berries, licorice, thyme, rosemary and pepper on the scented nose. Creamy-sweet, suave and deep but at the same time precise and youthful, offering lovely perfumed flavors of red berries, cocoa powder (from the Taransaud oak?) and anise. Very intensely flavored cabernet with terrific lift and aromatic persistence and remarkably suave, dusty tannins. Betz describes 2011 as a year with lower total polyphenols, higher acidity and lower pHs than 2010.
WA 92 (6/2014): Made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot that comes mostly from Red Mountain, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is slightly more reserved and backwards, with notions of dried spices, cured meats, black currant, spring flowers and tobacco leaf reluctantly emerging from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, with solid concentration, especially in the vintage, it has ample tannin that emerge on the mid-palate and focus the finish. It also needs another 2-3 years in the cellar and will have 10-12 years of total longevity at a minimum. |
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2012 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$135 |
2 |
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WA 95+ (6/2015): Containing the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, with is all from Red Mountain, and saw 19 months in new French oak. It's an inky colored, classic Betz Family wine that's loaded with perfectly ripe black fruits, lead pencil shavings, scorched earth and the searing minerality and dusty earth quality that comes only from Red Mountain. Full-bodied, structured and layered, with rockin' purity and focus, give it 7-8 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.
VM 94+ (12/2014): (14.5% alcohol; includes 2.5% each Merlot and petit verdot; aged in 70% new oak): Bright red-ruby. Ineffable wild aromas of blackberry, espresso, licorice, pepper, mint tea and cinnamon, complicated by a whiff of game. Boasts an utterly aristocratic texture and great lift but shows little obvious sweetness in the early going. Great incipient complexity to the suave, fine-grained flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. More taut and backward on the end than the Clos de Betz but not at all hard, this seriously structured cabernet displays a slow-building, inexorable finish, with tannins buried in flavor. (I also tasted a sample of Betz’s 2012 Le Parrain (“the godfather”) Cabernet Sauvignon shortly before bottling. Made entirely from clone 8 and aged in very expensive Taransaud Quintessence barrels, this beauty offers knockout perfume of black raspberry, blackberry, violet and minerals; a supple, savory, sharply delineated palate with pungent pepper and violet high notes lifting the dark berry, saline mineral and sexy oak flavors; and extremely suave tannins that spread out to saturate the palate on the superb rising finish. This special bottling, previously made in 2005, offers an uncanny combination of density and weightlessness. I rated it 94-96 but note that it will not be released until the autumn of 2015.) |
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2013 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$135 |
1 |
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WA 94 (5/2023): Unpacking layers of complexity, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille offers a gorgeous nose filled with aromas of oak spices, dark cherry and juicy plum as it exudes power and finesse. Full-bodied, this is a delightful wine that continues to gain in complexity as it sits on the palate. Impressive, pleasurable and energetic, the wine somersaults to an elongated finish that brings me back for more. This is a stunning wine that will continue to age with grace and precision.
VM 93+ (11/2015): Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, minerals, violet and bitter chocolate. A wine of outstanding finesse, showing great cut and lift but also a wonderfully supple texture. (Bob Betz feels that the effect of the Pulsair treatment is clear in this wine's dimension and weight on the palate.) Finishes with utterly refined, nearly invisible tannins But this wine is still quite backward and will need serious cellaring to fully express itself. (Drink between 2020-2030). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2013 |
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
2 |
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WA 94 (5/2023): Unpacking layers of complexity, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille offers a gorgeous nose filled with aromas of oak spices, dark cherry and juicy plum as it exudes power and finesse. Full-bodied, this is a delightful wine that continues to gain in complexity as it sits on the palate. Impressive, pleasurable and energetic, the wine somersaults to an elongated finish that brings me back for more. This is a stunning wine that will continue to age with grace and precision.
VM 93+ (11/2015): Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, minerals, violet and bitter chocolate. A wine of outstanding finesse, showing great cut and lift but also a wonderfully supple texture. (Bob Betz feels that the effect of the Pulsair treatment is clear in this wine's dimension and weight on the palate.) Finishes with utterly refined, nearly invisible tannins But this wine is still quite backward and will need serious cellaring to fully express itself. (Drink between 2020-2030). Stephen Tanzer. |
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2012 |
La Cote Rousse Syrah (1.5 L) |
$100 |
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| WA 95 (6/2014): More mineral-driven, with savory spices, dried earth and floral notes balanced by a rocking core of fruit, the 2012 Syrah La Cote Rousse is more backwards and reticent than the La Serenne, and will need short-term cellaring to unwind. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, high, yet sweet tannin, and a terrific finish, this awesome Syrah will be at its best from 2017-2027. |
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