A few weeks back I had a wonderful stop to Betz Family Winery, hosted by the talented Louis Skinner. Like many winemakers, Louis had a previous career prior to catching the wine bug which in his case was highly contagious. Louis literally read everything he could on wine and got a job working at a wine shop which allowed him to taste wines of the world constantly. He became particularly fond of the wines of Burgundy and then trained under some famed Washington wine icons, Chris Upchurch and Bob Betz, MW, prior to taking over for Betz as head winemaker a few years back. I had the chance to barrel taste with him the 2019 future releases that were stunning across the board.
Betz is now under new ownership and is very focused on producing some of the great wines in the state. I have been massively impressed with the wines produced from the stony terroir of the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, formerly called the ‘Old Stones Vineyard.’ The location is right near the River Rock Vineyard, quite near the highway running through Milton-Freewater. This vineyard was formerly overgrown and not well-kept but is absolutely thriving at this time.
The wine from this vineyard, the 2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah (OB, 95) shows gobs of finesse and wonderful stony tones. This is one for any lover of The Rocks District. I was blown away with the 2019 Betz ‘Pere de Familie’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which is an utterly sensational effort from this somewhat challenging vintage for Bordeaux varietals. Dense and chewy with a soft mouthfeel, this will age beautifully for decades to come. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.betzfamilywinery.com Here are the great new wines by Betz Family Winery.
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Besoleil’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Besoleil’ is a blend of 60% Grenache with 21% Grenache and 16% Counoise with just a splash of Rocks Syrah.The garrigue tones really impress, with shades of orange rind and red cherry candy that all mingle in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity and a soft mouthfeel. Layers of very pretty fruit with rose water, blood orange zest and bubblegum flavors with stony undertones and a dusting of white pepper. This is seriously good stuff that has already evolved nicely. Drink 2021-2031- 94
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Cote Rousse’ Syrah- This is sourced from high-elevation Syrah on the WeatherEye Vineyard. The nose is downright killer with smoky tones alongside bacon fat, blackberry compote and dried herbs with black pepper. The palate has great concentration and mid-palate ripeness with good verve. Creme de violette and anise tones with black olive tapenade combine with salty undertones and a soft texture. The wine finishes long. Outstanding even at the two year mark, this is simply gorgeous stuff that will enjoy a long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031- 95
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘La Serenne’ Syrah- sourced from the Boyshey VIneyard, the two lots are neighboring Dick Boushey’s house. Both Joseph Phelps plantings were planted in 1996. Given some whole cluster inclusion this shows off very pretty red fruits alongside smoked meats, green olives and a dusting of white pepper aromatically. The palate is plush showing a silky treater and great sense of mouthfeel. Ripe red cherry and pomegranate seed combine with baking spices and cured salami undertones on the palate. Fresh and vibrant in its youth, this has at least another decade in front of it. Drink 2021-2031- 94
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah- This vineyard has seen serious attention since it was first bought by Betz. Planted to a large amount of Syrah clones, this shows cigar ash, green olive, white pepper, charcuterie and exotic spices. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a silky sense of mouthfeel. Layers of Yakima cherry and red currants mingle with smoked meats, black olive and a dusting of white pepper. This is very refined stuff that is complex yet very light on its feet. The flavor and aromatic range here is really great, as is the long finish. Drink 2021-2028- 95
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Cote Patriarch’ Syrah- Sourced from the famed Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, part of this wine was first planted back in1986. Deep boysenberry cordial and coffee ground tones mingle with black cherry and salted meats on the nose. The palate has great freshness and finesse with a brilliant saline streak. The flavor concentration is outstanding. Decadent in its youth, this will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 94
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Clos de Betz’ Red Wine- This Merlot dominant (51%) wine with smaller parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot shows light white pepper tones alongside a great core of dark fruits, tobacco leaf and chocolate cake on this outstanding nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity. Layers of ripe black raspberry and dark kirsch cordial tones are woven together with milk chocolate and hints of green bell pepper on the palate. This shows a nice veil of salinity, adding to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2035- 94
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Pere de Familie’ Red WIne- The nose here is quite decadent with espresso bean, blueberry compote and black cherry cordial tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant, showing good mid-palate flavor density. Rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoke, violets and shades of creme de cassis. Rich and layered, and already quite refined at the two year mark, this beautiful wine has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2038- 95
2019 Betz Family Winery ‘Heart of the Hill Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Betz has now been sourcing from this wine for many years, as they work with a host of vineyard blocks here. The 2019 edition shows mocha, creosote, blackberry compote and creme de cassis notes all mark the nose. The mouthfeel and freshness of the wine is seriously good, as is the mid-palate sense of weight. Espresso grounds and blueberry cordial mingle with exotic spices, black cherry and shades of scorched earth all artfully combine on the palate. This has plenty of accessibility now and will continue to provide drinking enjoyment for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2021-2038- 95