KYSELA PERE ET FILS, LTD.

Bob and Cathy Betz crushed their first vintage of Betz Family Wine in 1997 with the help of volunteer friends, producing 150 cases of wine in the warehouse district of Woodinville Washington. In 2005 they built their own state of the art winery there with the mission to “craft compelling wines with individual character that are approachable and age worthy, and which showcase Washington as a distinguished wine region of the world”. In 2011 Betz Family Winery was sold to Steve and Bridget Griessel and today they work together in their commitment to their heritage, family members and the mission of Betz winery.

Betz Family Winery sources grapes from the top vineyards in Washington State, working with growers who allow them to designate rows and farm cooperatively. All grapes come from Washington’s Columbia Valley appellation, including Yakima Valley, Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain:

Horse Heaven Hills:

• Alder Ridge Vineyard – One of the state's largest - 1,000 acres – and most diverse vineyards. Its highest point is just over 1,000 feet. One acre of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is dedicated to Betz Family wines.

Red Mountain:

• Ciel du Cheval –situated at the base of Red Mountain, this vineyard’s canopy distinguishes it from others: vines are trained on a fan system, while most of the others are planted on a bilateral cordon. While this system creates a larger canopy, it shields the grapes from the intense Red Mountain heat, allowing sugar maturity and physiological maturity to develop synergistically. Varietals include: two acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, one acre of Merlot, lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Petite Verdot.
• Klipsun Vineyard - Acclaimed as one of the world's outstanding vineyards by Wine & Spirits Magazine, a few specific rows of Cabernet Sauvignon in both the new and old blocks at Klipsun Vineyard have been designated for Betz Family since 1997. Planted to mostly bi-lateral cordon, the vines have a tight canopy with a focus on keeping the foliage to a minimum, especially on the morning side of the vine.
• Scott Williams' Vineyard – The Betz Family Winery contracts Syrah grapes from Scott Williams of Kiona Winery, one of the highest altitude sites on Red Mountain. Because of its altitude and heat accumulation, the grapes here always ripen deeply, providing the winery with the material to craft a hedonistic Syrah with a high 'yum' factor. It forms the foundation of their Syrah La Côte Rousse. This site delivers wines that are plush and can stand-alone: they require minimal work in the cellar and at the blending table.

Yakima Valley:

• Boushey Vineyard – Located on the outskirts of Grandview and managed by the renowned Dick Boushey, the mid-valley cooler site is the sources for Betz Family's La Serenne. The Syrah grapes are in a spot where the soils thin out and do not produce a large crop. The grapes are small, thick-skinned, and loaded with flavor.
• Red Willow Vineyard - This is the farthest west and highest altitude vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Due to its higher elevation - 1200-1300 feet - the area was above the water level of the last Ice Age floods, so the soils are more ancient and weaker than many younger soils in the Columbia Valley. Red Willow grows Cabernet Sauvignon (1973 and 1990 plantings), Syrah (1986 planting), and Merlot for Betz Family wines.
• DuBrul Vineyard - This vineyard is on a steep, rocky, south-facing hillside in the Yakima Valley. It was planted in 1992, has 45 acres under vine, and grows six varietals – some in differing soils. Over time, wind-blown loess and volcanic ash have mixed with flood borne rocks to create low vigor soils. The southeast triangle is alluvial soil covering layers of coarse-grained pyroclastic rocks.

In each vineyard, Betz Family Winery collaborates with their growers to yield the highest quality of grapes using the best practices and specify geographical sites and combinations of soils, aspect, sunlight and temperatures to meet the Betz Family goals of quality and style.

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