• 2002 Betz Family Syrah La Serenne - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
  Released today. 100% Boushey Vineyard Syrah. I struggled a little with this wine. Aromatically I can't imagine a better Washington Syrah with notes of raw meat, white pepper, blackberry, tar and a slightly medicinal edge showing perhaps some iodine. However, at first I found the palate to be overwhelming with a thick, blackberry jam personality and a lot of initial sweetness. I must say that as I revisited this wine either I got used to it or it settled down, still showing blackberry but also a lot of floral aromatics in th the mouth. I did love the silky, lavish mouthfeel of this. The saving grace was that the wine has very perky acidity that keeps it fresh and vibrant and really comes through on the finish. Like the other 2002's this is very ripe and perhaps just needs some time to burn off some sugar and settle down. Boy did I love that nose! 90pts for now with a LOT of upward potential if this calms down. (90 pts.)
  
• 2002 Betz Family Syrah La Côte Rousse - Red Mountain, Washington, USA
  Released today. 65% Kiona Vineyard and 35% Hedges, Red Mountain Syrah. The nose is peppery and spicy, also superripe, a bit less intriguing than the La Serenne. For me, this palate on this is a lot cleaner and more balanced right now, much more drinkable at present. Lots of nice, dark flavors, some meatiness and maybe a hint of coffee? Very nice grip showing up on the finish, yummy! (92 pts.)
  

• 2002 Betz Family Clos de Betz - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
  57% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. This will be released in February. At first I noticed some scorchy wood on the nose, but this was quickly swallowed by waves of chocolate and herbal notes, a wild and wooly young Merlot! The palate was saturated, very floral, showing a lot of grip. Without a doubt, this dwarfs the Clos de Betz from prior vintages in sheer girth and structure, a surprisingly big and ripe wine. It needs some time to tame. (90 pts.)
  
• 2002 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
  I didn't get the exact blend, but this typically features a very high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. To be released in February. This is a young, tightly wound Cabernet with a nose screaming cassis and increasingly some floral perfume with more air. The palate is big, chewy, grippy with sweet black fruit. This finishes with a whale-sized mouthful of silky, coating tannins. This will be one for the cellar. Air did wonderful things for this, as even in just 30 minutes a glassful started to smooth out and gain much more aromatic intensity. A very exciting wine! (93 pts.)
  

• 2003 Betz Family Syrah La Côte Rousse - Red Mountain, Washington, USA
  From barrel. Wow, this is seriously dark stuff! Lots and lots of barrel showing on this one right now, scorchy and tarry with some medicinal scents and roasted plum. The palate shows blackberry jam and violet, amazingly dense yet surprisingly approachable. As you keep sipping it you can feel the structure just seething beneath all of that plush fruit. This is perhaps a little syrupy on the mid-palate and is clearly the most concentrated Betz Syrah I have tasted yet. This finishes with wonderful, dusty tannins, the kind that stick your gums to the back of your lips. I ama big fan of the Côte Rousse. (92 pts.)
  
• 2003 Betz Family Besoleil - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
  From barrel. Bob was kind enough to dip into one of the three barrels of an upcoming Southern Rhone blend showing I believe 85% Grenache from the Alder Ridge Vineyard and 15% Syrah. I even managed to drag the proprietary name ("Besoleil") out of Bob after a little begging. Sappy and bright with some white pepper on the nose. The palate is a raspberry laser with some peppery spice. I didn't get a chance to spend long with this, but it is a fun and intriguing blend, very pure, quite tasty. I look forward to tasting it in the future. No rating for now.
  

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Touché.
This would look so much better in "Washington Tasting Notes."

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