Betz Besoleil 2014

Description

Betz Besoleil

Betz Besoleil is a finely layered yet deep and brooding blend, with creamy black raspberry, wild dried strawberry, dried herbs and floral notes. This year’s blend represents the highest proportion of Counoise in Bésoleil to date (24%) and reflects the success of the variety in 2014. The typical ruby-red colour of Bésoleil is deepened by the vibrant blue of Counoise, which also imparts notes of white and black pepper alongside an earthy, dusty expression reminiscent of the southern Rhône.

Betz MW. Their first vintage was in 1998, and today they have an annual production of 5,000 cases, of which two thirds goes to their domestic mailing list customers. The vineyards are located in the Columbia Valley, specifically in the Red Mountain, Horse Haven Hills, Yakima Valley and Snipes Mountain AVAs. Betz works very closely with long term growers that allow them to select specific rows and vines. The climate is sunny and dry, with the Cascade Mountain range acting as a cloud barrier, ensuring cloudless skies 300 days of the year. The vines are planted on their own roots, rather than on rootstocks, because phylloxera is not a problem in Washington State.

Fruit for this wine was grown on the eastern and Mid Yakima Valley, primarily in the ancient riverbed site of Upland Vineyard. This site has the oldest Grenache planting in WA and the oldest own-rooted Grenache planting in North America. At 325 to 450 metres above sea level, the sites are mostly windy with excellent drainage and steep slopes. Soils include Hezel sandy loam, silt loam, Scooteney, some ancient riverbed, volanic pumice and calcite deposits. The area is very dry, with 12 to 16cm of rain annually.

https://www.betzfamilywinery.com/