Region: Columbia Valley, Washington

Varietal: 70% Merlot 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Petit Verdot

Tasting notes: Wafting from the glass, the silky red fruit has a subtle spiciness and a note of rich, dusty flowers on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, dusty plum and just-ripe fruit tones dance across the palate with elegance and ease, showing balanced acidity and a complex, layered expression. It ends with a long, grippy and focused sensation on the finish, revealing a very special wine that will last for years to come.

Producer: Clos de Betz honors Bob and Cathy Betz’s first dreams of starting a winery. In 1973, they stood before one of the foremost temples of French Pinot Noir, the Burgundian vineyard Clos de Beze, struck by the profound way it could exemplify both a sense of place and the purity of its variety.  They resolved that they would one day produce a wine that manages to convey that ever so elusive but magical marriage of site character and varietal expression.  Washington Merlot, with its singular dance of weighty richness and structured minerality, provided the perfect canvas and has formed the core of Clos de Betz since its first vintage in 1998.

Vineyard and Winemaking: Betz co-farms their own rows and blocks in the most famous vineyards in Washington and work with their growers every step of the way, making every vineyard decision together. In addition, they own two vineyards in Walla Walla.