KYSELA PERE ET FILS, LTD.

"Elegantly dynamic, this Cabernet shows depth and style, offering rose petal, black cherry and dusky spice flavors that glide toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Drink now through 2030.- Tim Fish"

Wine Spectator Insider (September 14th 2022), 94 pts

"This is a wine for the ages. Aromas of thyme, the blackest of cherries, licorice, bay leaf and spice are followed by outright delicious, plump fruit flavors. There's a whole lot of primary fruit, with ample structure to hang it all on, along with plenty of depth and intensity. The finish is near endless. It flat-out impresses, with remarkable intensity. Best from 2028 to 2038. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN."

- Wine Enthusiast (September 2021), 95 pts

"A firm, polished red with aromas of blackberry, iodine, tobacco leaf, cocoa and cedar. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Structured, layered and focused. Lots going on, with a long finish. Try from 2023."

- James Suckling (May 2021), 95 pts

"Incorporating 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot from a mix of sites in the Columbia Valley, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Père De Famille reveals a healthy ruby/purple hue to go with beautiful cassis fruits interwoven with notions of dried rose petals, violets, cedary spice, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, reasonably well concentrated, yet elegant and beautifully balanced, it opens up nicely with time in the glass and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2021), 95 pts

Another stellar bottling, the 2018 Pere de Famille is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot. Displaying a deep ruby color at the core and firm red ruby rim, the nose opens to the mineral tension expected of Red Mountain with a dark red-fruited essence, black cherry, dark plum and dusty raspberry with an elegant oak richness and dusty red flower petals. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is rich and mineral on the palate, showing a spicy cinnamon tone that builds with a firm tannic grip. As the wine sits on the palate, it unpacks more of its complexities, showing precision and finesse. A brilliant wine, it ends with a long, lingering finish that will show beautifully for more than a decade. Absolutely delicious. - Anthony Mueller"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (October 2020), 94+ pts

"A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille exhibits complex aromas of pencil lead, inky dark fruit, wild blueberries, black truffle, incense and anise. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and very concentrated, with a deep core of sappy fruit, rich structuring tannins and a long, penetrating finish. This will need some time in the cellar, but it's very complete and full of promise. - William Kelley"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 96 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"(14.5% alcohol; the Cabernet Sauvignon received longer skin contact during fermentation--12 days, or about 50% longer than usual; a blend of Betz's best barrels): Dark ruby-red. Musky currant, blackberry, black cherry, sweet plum and black olive on the nose. A step up in definition and nuance from the Clos de Betz, with its classic Cabernet dark fruit flavors complicated by sexy oak spices from the Taransaud barrels and lifted by a note of black pepper. Boasts a sensual texture with good lift; not a blockbuster like the 2014 version but this may be more complex. This wonderfully supple yet firm wine finishes with creamy, palate-saturating length. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2017), 93 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"A cellar selection from different sites in the Columbia Valley, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is deeper in color than the Clos de Betz and offers fabulous notes of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed flowers and violets. Just screaming Cabernet, it offers full-bodied richness, incredible purity of fruit, and ultra-fine tannin, all of which make for a sensational Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon that’s going to evolve for upwards of two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #231, June 2017), 97 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Bright ruby-red. Discreet, very pure aromas of cassis and black cherry complicated by mineral, spice and floral nuances. Highly concentrated and savory, conveying a 3-D texture as well as terrific definition to its flavors of black cherry, saline minerality and dried herbs. Wonderfully elegant, energetic, flavorful wine with real éclat. Really saturates the palate with flavor without leaving any impression of weight. Finishes with substantial dusty but fine-grained tannins and outstanding lingering fruit. This will need time in bottle to unwind. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Vinous (November 2016), 95 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Scheduled to be bottled in June of 2016, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvigon Pere de Famille is another terrific wine from this estate. Deeper in color than the 2013 (which is common) and offering fabulous red and black fruits, dried herbs, graphite and a dusty pebble-like minerality, it has full-bodied richness, ultra pure tannin and while a big, concentrated effort, it always shows a pure, elegant style. It two will have two to three decades of longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #225, June 2016), 94-97 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"A cuvee that continues to become more and more Cabernet Sauvignon dominated (Bob Betz loves Cabernet and think it’s the top grape of Washington), the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot) is utterly seamless and elegant. It is full-bodied and open, with forward notes of cassis, crushed flowers, red currants and licorice. Where the 2014s are more exuberant and dense, this 2013 excels on its pretty, pure and overall elegant style. Drink it anytime over the coming 15+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #225, June 2016), 94 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Dark ruby. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, minerals, violet and bitter chocolate. A wine of outstanding finesse, showing great cut and lift but also a wonderfully supple texture. (Bob Betz feels that the effect of the Pulsair treatment is clear in this wine's dimension and weight on the palate.) Finishes with utterly refined, nearly invisible tannins But this wine is still quite backward and will need serious cellaring to fully express itself. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Vinous (November 2015), 93+ pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"More approachable than the 2012, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot) has a full-bodied, sexy, yet still focused and pure style to go with pretty and expressive notes of red plums, cassis, black raspberries, violets, graphite and spring flowers. It has a great finish and sweet tannin, and while it has plenty of fruit, I suspect it will firm up once in bottle and require short-term cellaring."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #219, June 2015), 92-94 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Firm and juicy, with spicy blueberry and currant flavors playing against a prickly texture. The bright flavors linger effectively and persistently. Best from 2017 through 2023.—H.S."
- Wine Spectator Insider (September 7th 2016), 92 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Aromas of dried herb, bay leaf, spice, dried flowers and dark fruit are followed by tart, spritely cranberry and cherry flavors. It possesses a real sense of freshness and elegance."
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2016), 91 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Containing the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, with is all from Red Mountain, and saw 19 months in new French oak. It's an inky colored, classic Betz Family wine that's loaded with perfectly ripe black fruits, lead pencil shavings, scorched earth and the searing minerality and dusty earth quality that comes only from Red Mountain. Full-bodied, structured and layered, with rockin' purity and focus, give it 7-8 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.

These latest releases from Betz Family Winery are flat out great, and as I said last year, the 2012s are the greatest wines I've tasted from this estate. While the winery was sold to the Griessel family in 2011, Bob Betz has remained firmly involved and there's certainly been no dip whatsoever in quality; if anything, the wines show another level of texture, purity and structure. While assistant winemaker Tyson Schiffner has moved from making wine to brewing beer, he's been replaced by Louis Skinner, who was the assistant winemaker at Delille for a number of years. In short, readers who want to see the best of Washington State need to check out these latest releases!
- Jeb Dunnuck"

- Wine Advocate (Issue #219, June 2015), 95+ pts

"Fresh and vital, packed with lively blackberry, red plum and delicate herbal flavors, carrying the flavors past a gentle bed of fine tannins into a long finish. Best from 2017 through 2022.—H.S."

Wine Spectator's Insider (May 20th 2015), 93 pts

Go To Betz Family Pere de Famille

"Intriguing scents focus upon chamomile and Mediterranean herbs, while the fruit flavors are wild and brambly. Cherry candy and red licorice play broadly across the palate, lingering through a beautifully balanced and extended finish."

- Wine Enthusiast (July 2014), 95 pts

"Made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot that comes mostly from Red Mountain, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is slightly more reserved and backwards, with notions of dried spices, cured meats, black currant, spring flowers and tobacco leaf reluctantly emerging from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, with solid concentration, especially in the vintage, it has ample tannin that emerge on the mid-palate and focus the finish. It also needs another 2-3 years in the cellar and will have 10-12 years of total longevity at a minimum.

As always, my visit with Bob Betz and Tyson Schiffner at Betz Family Winery (which has been owned by the Griessel family since 2011) is always one of the highlights of my trip through Washington. For the tasting at the domaine, we focused on the 2012s (I tasted the 2011s from bottle at my office in Colorado), and they are easily some of the greatest wines I’ve tasted from this estate to date. While these wines always have considerable structure and focused profiles, these 2012 have an extra dimension of depth and texture, and should not be missed!"
- Jeb Dunnuck

- Wine Advocate (Issue #213, June 2014), 92 pts

"Soft, velvety and medium-weight, with pretty currant fruit weaving through the smoky, licorice-accented finish. Deft and persistent. Drink now through 2017."
- Wine Spectator (June 30th 2014), 91 pts