2014 Betz Clos de Betz Red Wine Columbia Valley 750 ml

Supple Red From Parker’s Top WA Winemaker

Master of Wine Bob Betz is unquestionably Washington’s greatest winemaker. In the last 13 years, Betz’ offerings have notched scores between 95-98 points an impressive 32 times. Robert Parker has called the Betz portfolio, “The best wines in Washington state,” adding, “While there's a long history of terrific wines from this estate, I think they've hit another level in the past few vintages, and these latest releases show a purity, elegance and textural quality not found in early bottlings.” Case in point is the 2014 Betz Clos de Betz Red Wine, which tied the highest-ever rating for this cuvée with matching 95-point scores from Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck. The Advocate called the 2014 Clos de Betz, “supple, elegant and incredibly polished,” while Dunnuck added, “remarkable purity and depth.” 

When Bob Betz first caught the wine bug in the early 1970s, he and his wife Cathy boarded a plane to Europe and explored as many French, Italian, Spanish, and Austrian vineyards as they could. On that trip, Bob learned a formative lesson that continues to drive his pursuits—simply put, the best wine is made from the best fruit.

Today, Bob works with acclaimed Washington growers, including famed Red Mountain sites, Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun, which Wine & Spirits magazine crowned “one of the world’s greatest vineyards.” The 2014 Clos de Betz, a luscious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, was sourced from both of these incredible vineyards in addition to other blue-chip sites on Red Mountain and in the Columbia Valley.

The blend is incredibly juicy and supple, pure and deep, offering “a beautiful bouquet of cassis, licorice, violets, and earthy, herbal notes,” as Jeb Dunnuck wrote. Velvety tannins, which are just beginning to soften, provide a sturdy frame that will allow this gorgeous wine to improve for years in bottle. Once it’s in your cellar, dividends will be paid to the patient.