2012 Betz Family Syrah La Côte Rousse
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Tasting notes
(from a crop level of two tons per acre, according to Betz; from a warm site in a warm vintage): Bright medium ruby. Subtle, slightly candied red berry and floral aromas convey a distinctly savory quality plus a suggestion of nutty oak. Then distinctly soil-driven in the mouth, with red raspberry and spice flavors joined by a saline quality and a strong impression of granitic minerality. And yet this wine boasts excellent energy and comes across as very young. The tannins are serious but broad and ripe and the finish is sweet and long. Again, this is very different in style from the more sinewy 2011 bottling but at an equally high level of quality—and potential.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
More mineral-driven, with savory spices, dried earth and floral notes balanced by a rocking core of fruit, the 2012 Syrah La Cote Rousse is more backwards and reticent than the La Serenne, and will need short-term cellaring to unwind. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, high, yet sweet tannin, and a terrific finish, this awesome Syrah will be at its best from 2017-2027. 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