Betz Family Winery was founded in 1997 by Bob & Cathy Betz. Critical acclaim from local and national wine publications has put Betz Family Winery at the forefront of Washington wines alongside Cayuse, Leonetti and Quilceda Creek. Although the winery was recently sold to Steve and Bridget Griessel (with Bob Betz remaining on as the winemaker), I expect quality will remain high for years to come.
The 2005 La Côte Rousse is a Red Mountain blend consisting of 40% Ciel du Cheval Vineyard fruit and 60% Scott Williams’ Vineyard fruit.
Opaque purple in color. Not even a hint of bricking. Blackberries, blood and minerals on the nose. Dark fruits, iodine, game, leather, vanilla, stone and flowers wash across the palate. Grippy, concentrated and still somewhat tannic. The finish lingers for minutes. This is a big wine that could use another year or two in the cellar.
I expected an 8 year old bottle of Washington Syrah to be more resolved than this. The age old question for this particular wine is: Will the fruit outlast the tannins?
My rating: 91 points.
Current vintages are readily available at retail in the Seattle area and through the winery’s mailing list.
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