(Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz) #1; COLOR-dark; NOSE-beautiful nose; almost Bordeaux-like (Pomerol); chalky; tobacco; good red fruit; PALATE-this wine really speaks to me; EXTREMELY smooth; really Bordeaux-like meaning it's not over-dominated by fruit -- there is great red fruit (cranberry, raspberry); there is a savory component with the sour fruit (rhubarb); almost like a soy sauce with minerality; very long finish; one of the better mid-palates that I've seen in a very long time; this connects the dots perfectly; nice long finish; chalkiness; chocolate; I'm a HUMONGOUS fan of this wine; at $40 bones, one of the better values; a complex backbone and structure; ST-93; WE-93; JM-94; GV-94
(Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz Columbia Valley) Brilliantly colored. Aromatic with toast, smoke, and oak spices along with an underlayer of black fruit. Shows a little bit of heat at times on the nose. On the taste, pure, rich black cherry fruit along with silky tannins. 62% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Fruit is 39% Red Mountain, 33% Horse Heaven Hills, and 28% Yakima Valley (Ciel du Cheval, Kiona vineyards, Alder Ridge, and Red Willow vineyards). Aged 17 months in French barriques (65% new). 14.7% alcohol. Give 2-3 years.
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By Stephen Tanzer
(Betz Family Vineyards Clos de Betz Red Wine Columbia Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.November/December 2009, IWC Issue #147, (See more on Vinous...)