Betz Family Winery Grenache Besoleil 09

Review:

2009 Wine Advocate - 92 points - The Betz Rhone-style offerings begin with the 2009 Besoleil, a blend of 66% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault (the latter a first-time addition to this cuvee). It is a multi-regional blend aged for 12 months in one-fill barriques and 300-liter oak. Fragrant aromas of underbrush, cedar, Asian spices, a hint of balsamic, and black cherries titillate the nose. Savory, spicy, and racy, this elegant yet intensely flavored wine can be approached now but should drink well through 2021. - Jay Miller

Grenache is the dominant grape of the Besoleil 2009 but Cinsault, from the Southern Rhone, makes its debut in the 2009 vintage. Flavors of black raspberry and strawberry are vibrant with mineral, sagebrush and olive making an appearance. Best from 2013 to 2018.

66% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre.

2008 Vintage

Wine Advocate 92 points! - The latest collection begins with the purple-colored 2008 Besoleil, a multi-regional blend from four renowned terroirs. It is composed of 82% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, and 9% Syrah aged for 12 months in one-fill French oak. Aromas of herbs, underbrush, lavender, black cherry, and blueberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, layered, savory wine with loads of spice, excellent volume, intense flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 2-3 years to fully blossom and drink it through 2020. - Jay Miller

The latest collection begins with the purple-colored 2008 Besoleil, a multi-regional blend from four renowned terroirs. It is composed of 82% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, and 9% Syrah aged for 12 months in one-fill French oak. Aromas of herbs, underbrush, lavender, black cherry, and blueberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, layered, savory wine with loads of spice, excellent volume, intense flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 2-3 years to fully blossom and drink it through 2020. - Jay Miller

From the winery: This is the deepest colored and densest Grenache-based wine we have made, very much in the style of our classic southern Rhone inspiration. We dropped yields on a couple blocks of Grenache this vintage to about 1/2 ton/acre. The low yields gave us some heady, deep and powerful blending material. On its own it seemed unbalanced, but combined with our other Grenache blocks and a little Syrah and Mourvedre, 9% each, we preserved the fruit intensity of Grenache but achieved a fine equilibrium on the palate. Bésoleil 2008 is very dark ruby, with a dense core and a hint of magenta on the edge. It sports an expressive aroma of sweet, penetrating black raspberry and strawberry, with layers of cream, lavender, thyme and licorice. It has a fuller palate impression than past years, with a bit more grip to help it age in the cellar.

Serve cool, 58-62°F. Best from 2011 thru 2016.

2007 Vintage

Betz Family Winery Grenache Besoleil 07 - Betz Besoleil 07 smells great - meaty raspberries with notes of Chambord and strawberries adding flecks of black pepper. With some time in the glass, the mouthfeel expands and delicious finish of sweet grilled herbs, white pepper and brambly berries pops. - Marcus

As our state’s Grenache vines age the fruit they bear gains more varietal purity. And with every vintage we’re raising the concentration of Grenache in Bésoleil in our attempt to create a classic southern Rhone blend. Grenache is fully 80% of this year’s wine, the balance composed of 15% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah.

A new source of Grenache, from the Olsen Estates in the YakimaValley brought greater vibrancy to the blend. It adds a depth of color and an even more intense strawberry, raspberry aroma. Notes of cherry, licorice, black pepper and spice jump from the glass, while a cherries ‘n cream mouthfeel really satisfies. And yes, there are notes of that elusive “garrigue”, the earthy, dried herb-lavender note typical of these southern Rhone blends. - the winery

"This is 80% grenache, 5% syrah and 15% mourvedre. Intensely aromatic, it is absolutely bursting with black cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas, leading into a lush and luscious palate replete with black fruits. There are streaks of tree bark, a whiff of smoke and above all intensity of fruit. For drinking right now, this is the bottle to have." Paul Gregutt, Paulgregutt.com, Seattle Times

2006 Vintage Tasting Notes

Betz Family Winery Grenache Besoleil 06 received 93 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

"The Rhone portion of the portfolio begins with Betz’s take on Chateauneuf du Pape. The 2006 Besoleil is composed of 75% Grenache, 13% Syrah, and 12% Mourvedre. Dark ruby/purple-colored, the wine exhibits a splendid bouquet of garrigue, black cherry, and spice box. It offers a silky texture, layered sweet fruit, great concentration, and a 60-second finish. The quality of Washington’s Grenache is still a secret but, with wines like this, that won’t be the case for long."

The winery describes the wine: "For those who loved the penetrating fruit of the first wine in this series, 2006 is your vintage. It returns to sheer Grenache dominance, evident in the nose and flavor, and certainly in its persistent finish. The blend ended up at just over 75% Grenache, half from Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heavens (a Grenache Noir clone) and half from Ciel du Cheval on Red Mountain. The remaining 25% is split equally between Ciel du Cheval Mourvedre and Boushey Vineyard Syrah.

The aroma is all candy shop - penetrating black raspberry, sweet strawberry and spice. Black pepper and a slight touch of roasted meat complete the profile. While it dances smartly on the palate with the vitality that Grenache brings to the blend, its structure and weight defy its Grenache dominance".

2005 Vintage

"While dominated by the lively fruit-laden Grenache variety, this year's Besoleil offering has a solid dose of Mourvedre, a Southern Rhone grape type that offers black pepper, spice and brooding black fruits. Added to the bright black raspberry spiciness of Grenache, the wine takes on new dimension this vintage: richer than 2004 with more texture and density. Wild dried raspberries, plums, and a floral note define aroma and flavor. Nine percent Syrah adds a smoky complexity."

"We mature Besoleil in older oak barrels, different from any other wine in our portfolio. The purity of these varieties in this combination needs no weightiness that new French oak might bring. The lack of newer oak barrels also helps Besoleil to be enjoyed earlier than its more strapping Syrah cellar mates. The 2004 vintage of Besoleil was voted best Southern Rhone blend made in Washington by Seattle Magazine."