2011 Besoleil

I was able to taste the 2011s from bottle at my office in Colorado. The 2011 Grenache Besoleil is made from 54% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 12% Counoise, 12% Mourvedre and the balance Syrah, with most coming from Yakima Valley, and 27% from Red Mountain and 12% from Snipes Mountain. Beautifully perfumed, with sweet red and black berry fruit, herbs de Provence, licorice, hints of pepper and gaminess, it flows onto the palate with a medium-bodied, juicy, lively profile that has mouthwatering acidity, sweet fruit and a solid finish. Up-front, delicious and drinking beautifully already, it will evolve gracefully through 2019. 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