Winemaker Notes
Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvinon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Unpacking layers of complexity, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille offers a gorgeous nose filled with aromas of oak spices, dark cherry and juicy plum as it exudes power and finesse. Full-bodied, this is a delightful wine that continues to gain in complexity as it sits on the palate. Impressive, pleasurable and energetic, the wine somersaults to an elongated finish that brings me back for more. This is a stunning wine that will continue to age with grace and precision.
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Wine Spectator
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.
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Wine Enthusiast
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.
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Wine & Spirits
Betz’s tête de cuvée is firm and composed, with aromas of cedar and redwood, flavors of plum and black cherry, and a hint of saddle leather. It feels classical in its lean, dry elegance and the tight weave of its tannins. It will benefit from some cellar time.
Washington produces so many exciting wines, and that definitely includes Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. With over 10,000 acres under vine, Cabernet Sauvignon is now the most widely-grown varietal in the state. Terrific examples hail from sub-appellations like Red Mountain, Wahluke Slope, Horse Heaven Hills and Walla Walla Valley. One of the fascinations of these Columbia Valley Cabs is that they so often seem to have one foot in the New World and one in the Old. Representing the former are characteristics like the ripe, forward fruit that results from long sunny days during the growing season (up to two hours longer than in much of California). Old World similarities include an undeniable brightness from acidity, as well as notes of herbs, graphite and a dusty, sometimes gravelly minerality.
Whether you’re looking for a budget bottle for everyday enjoyment, or a stellar, world-class wine with tremendous aging potential, Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines can deliver the goods! Among the many fine options are bottles from Columbia Crest, Chateau Ste. Michelle, L’ecole #41, Quilceda Creek and Leonetti.