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2016 Betz Family Winery Heart of the Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Removed from protected passive storage in a temperature controlled home; Purchased direct from winery; Consignor is original owner

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

98The Wine Advocate

...underlying dark, dusty fruit on the nose, alongside subtle spice tones of sage, cinnamon and cardamom. Full-bodied and segueing from ripe and juicy to focused and softly tart on the palate, the wine evolves with layers of complexity, gradually revealing more depth and breadth across the mid-palate, ending with a long-lingering finish with finesse and complexity...impressive wine that delivers pleasure.

98+ Jeb Dunnuck

...massive bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, violets, and dried tobacco, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, brilliant purity of fruit, and flawless balance...

93Wine Spectator

Elegant and multilayered, with refined blackberry, stony mineral and bay leaf accents that takes on structure and expand on the finish. The tannins are broad but polished.

93Wine Enthusiast

Luxurious aromas of barrel spice, char, roasted coffee bean, black cherry, earth, cocoa, graphite, coffee and herb lead to elegant but textured, layered, tart, lip-smacking fruit flavors. The palate is all pleasantly dialed back considering the warmth of the vintage and region, with an exquisite acidity and tannin balance...

92+ Stephen Tanzer

... Lively aromas of cassis, blackberry, licorice, menthol and minerals, lifted by suggestions of violet and black pepper. Densely packed, spicy and vibrant...firm underlying minerality and tannic spine...

PRODUCER

Betz Family Winery

Betz Family Winery was founded in Woodinville, Washington, in 1997, by Bob and Cathy Betz. In the early 1970s the then young couple traveled through Europe’s great wine regions working in wineries and vineyards. In 1975 Bob started working at Chateau St. Michelle, where he eventually became Vice President of Winemaking Research. But he and his wife wanted their own winery, so they began sourcing grapes from Washington’s best appellations. Betz Family Winery specializes in Syrah and Rhone style wines, though it also produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that Bob Betz “makes some of Washington’s best Syrah…”

REGION

United States, Washington, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain

Yakima Valley AVA was the first AVA created in Washington State. The valley, a 600,000-acre area in south central Washington, was granted AVA status in 1983. In 1984 Columbia Valley was given AVA status, and Yakima Valley was enclosed within the Columbia Valley AVA. Nevertheless, Yakima Valley remains home to the largest concentration of vineyards and wineries in the state. There are more than 60 wineries and some 16,000 vineyard acres, and nearly 40% of Washington wines are made with Yakima Valley grapes. The most frequently planted grape is Chardonnay, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaking here dates to 1869, when a winemaker from Alsace planted grape vines. Vineyard planting and wine production plodded along slowly until the early 1980s when numerous modern pioneers started making well-reviewed Yakima Valley wines. Some of the state’s newest, most closely watched appellations, including Red Mountain AVA and Horse Heaven Hills AVA, are contained within Yakima Valley.

TYPE

Red Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.

VINTAGE

2016 Betz Family Winery Heart of the Hill Cabernet Sauvignon