2010 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (5/20/2019)
Opened by a friend. Uncorked but not decanted 3 hours before drinking. The best of the 3 Washington reds we drank that last weekend. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. Rich purple color. Creamy red fruit with well integrated tannins. Notes of tobacco, plums, blackberries and pencil shavings. Medium to full bodied with some oak on the elegant finish. Still going strong. 95 points.
That vintage of PdF is still very much a baby at this point. I would expect this to continue to improve with aging for at least another 10 years, and probably even longer. In my opinion, the Betz PdF is one of the most age-worthy wines being produced in WA state (as are the Cadence “big 4” wines and the Abeja cabs).
Crimson in color. Slight bricking. 14.5% ABV. Fantastic nose of black fruits, leather and cedar. Medium body with cascading dark fruits and firm tannins. Somewhat concentrated but certainly taking on some secondary characteristics. The wine can be monolithic even at 10 years of age but it is shining here 15 years in. Blackberry, currants, cassis, plums and tobacco on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Likely best over the next 2-3 years.
Don’t forget Andrew Will on that list of ageable wines, and Pepper Bridge. I’ve kept PB 15+ yrs.
We happen to be in WA right now saying through some wines.