2013 Betz Family Vineyards Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 750 ml

A Master of Wine and Washington Royalty

Bob Betz MW sits atop the Washington winemaker hierarchy, and that was true even before the Master of Wine’s portfolio was proclaimed “the best of Washington State” by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. To savor his mastery of Washington terroir, look no further than Betz’s 2013 “Père de Famille” Cabernet Sauvignon, a powerful, balanced wine The Wine Advocate called “utterly seamless and elegant” and “full-bodied and open.” While Parker’s publication encourages drinking this 94-point wine “anytime over the coming 15+ years,” first you have to get your hands on this heavily allocated wine— the winery mailing list is closed to new members.  Thanks to our Master of Wine, Matt Deller, MW’s longstanding relationship with Bob, we’ve secured 25 near-impossible-to-find cases for Wine Access clients, and the race is on.

Winemaking was a serious pursuit for Bob Betz right from the start. When he first caught the wine bug in the early 1970s, he and his wife Cathy boarded a plane to Europe and they explored as many French, Italian, Spanish, and Austrian vineyards as they could. When Bob began a 28-year stint with Chateau Ste. Michelle the year after he returned, Washington was home to just eight wineries.  

When Bob learned that our own Chief Wine Officer, Matt Deller, MW, was interested in an allocation, he put it squarely, conveying he has “nothing but great things to say about you and the authenticity and integrity with which you’ve built your career,” he told Matt. And that’s how we are able to offer exclusive allocation.

Betz learned a formative lesson on that long-ago European excursion that continues to drive his eponymous wines — the best wine is made from the best fruit. Bob continues to work with acclaimed Washington growers like Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun, which Wine & Spirits magazine crowned “one of the world’s greatest vineyards.” Betz’s accolades include a 99-point Wine Advocate score and a #6 spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Cellar Selections. All told, if you’re looking for Washington’s answer to France’s Rothschilds or California’s Wagners, it’s Betz.