2011 Betz Family Syrah La Côte Patriarche
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Tasting notes
Coming from the Red Willow Vineyard, on the western side of the Yakima Valley, and from the old Syrah vines planted in the state, the 2011 La Cote Patriarche is more similar to the La Serenne, with its vibrant, lively perfume of blueberry, violets, olive and underbrush. More concentrated on the palate however, it has medium to full-bodied richness that’s cut nicely by juicy acidity and additional minerality that comes through on the finish. Beautifully proportioned, with a rock mid-palate, this lively, elegant and seamless beauty will be better in another 2-3 years, and thrill over the following decade. As always, my visit with Bob Betz and Tyson Schiffner at Betz Family Winery (which has been owned by the Griessel family since 2011) is always one of the highlights of my trip through Washington. For the tasting at the domaine, we focused on the 2012s (I tasted the 2011s from bottle at my office in Colorado), and they are easily some of the greatest wines I’ve tasted from this estate to date. While these wines always have considerable structure and focused profiles, these 2012 have an extra dimension of depth and texture, and should not be missed! www.betzfamilywinery.com
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Made by Bob Betz MW. 100% Syrah. Sandstone base, mix calcareous rocks, clay, loam, sand and silt. Free draining. 365 m above sea level. 1,900 vines/ha. Pruning: bilateral cordon. Yields 40-45 hl/ha. Fermented in small open-top tanks. 12 months in 100% French 228-litre and 300-litre barrels. pH 3.63, TA 6.3 g/l. Annual production 3,000 bottles. IPM certified. Bob Betz MW pointed out rather ruefully that he is the only American MW who actually makes wine. This wine has been renamed after the man who did so much to ignite winemaking in Washington state, the late David Lake MW. The vines were planted in 1986, surely some of the first Syrah in the state. The wine is deep purple with a particularly smooth texture. No mistaking its non-European origin with its super-bright fruit. It's all very well done and may well gain more subtlety with age. (JR)
(14.3% alcohol; from a 1986 planting in Red Willow Vineyard; 2011 was a relatively early year for these vines): Highly nuanced nose combines dark berries, smoke, stony minerality, pepper and flowers. Floral, cool and precise yet silky too; delivers outstanding intensity without weight thanks to ripe, harmonious acidity. Captivating, soil-driven notes of lavender, smoke and garrigue add nuance to the dark berry fruit. Finishes very long, with noble tannins and clear projection of terroir. This can be enjoyed now owing to its utterly seamless texture, but has the depth and energy to enjoy a slow and graceful evolution in bottle.