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Tasting notes
(82% grenache and 9% each mourvedre and syrah) Medium red. Complex, expressive aromas of smoky red fruits, licorice and musky spices. Sweet and lush in the mouth, but with good grip to the spicy, minerally flavors. A juicy, soil-driven midweight with considerable early appeal. Finishes with a suave dusting of fine tannins and a whiplash of red fruits and spices, with surprising lift. Winemaker Bob Betz described 2008 as a cross between 2007 and 2005. Partly because the growing season had a few more heat spikes than 2007, he added, the pHs in 2008 are a bit higher. "The 2008s have structure," he said, "but also a juicy roundness, and some wines can be a bit blowsy."
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The latest collection begins with the purple-colored 2008 Besoleil, a multi-regional blend from four renowned terroirs. It is composed of 82% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, and 9% Syrah aged for 12 months in one-fill French oak. Aromas of herbs, underbrush, lavender, black cherry, and blueberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, layered, savory wine with loads of spice, excellent volume, intense flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 2-3 years to fully blossom and drink it through 2020. Bob Betz, MW, and his family continue to make some of Washington’s finest wine. Betz’s attention to detail is legendary; everything is done for a reason. He sources great fruit, oversees the farming, and his fine-tuned palate ensures the correct call on all the blends. Tel. (425) 861-9823; www.betzfamilywinery.com
Vibrant and fresh, the 2008 Betz Family Bésoleil is roughly 80% Grenache with the rest a mix of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It presents a lively, pure and focused bouquet of both red and black fruits, flowers, pepper and earth. This leads to a medium bodied wine that displays sweet, textured fruit, fresh acidity and a long, classy finish. All in all, this is an outstanding, pure and downright pretty wine to drink over the following 10 to 12 years.
About the producer
Product details
Grenache/ Garnacha , Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro, Syrah / Shiraz, Cinsault
Red
Dry