Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Untold Story is deeply colored, with a dark purple core fading out to a bright magenta rim. The color is reflective of the aromatics: smoky black fruits, blueberries, blackberries, dark plums and cassis swirl about, adding incense and graphite alongside crushed herbs as it gets air. The palate is layered with a plush texture that perfectly balances fresh acidity and fine tannins leading to a lengthy finish that carries a delightful mix of bright rosemary, fresh berries and cracked spice.
Blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah, 10% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is an aromatic tour de force, with appealing aromas of bay leaf, black cherry, smoked meat, blueberry, dark coffee, dried herb and spice showing complexity and detail. It's rich but well in-check, with focused fruit flavors following, supported by a tight coil of tannins. It's a classy, and classically Washington, wine that will only get better with a bit of time in the cellar or a short decant.
Editors' Choice -
James Suckling
A firm, linear red with crushed-berry, tile and stone character. Medium body and dusty tannins. Lean and fun finish. A blend of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 40% syrah and 10% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 The Untold Story is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot and has a fresh core of fruit on the nose. Medium-bodied, the wine is clean and correct on the palate, with good complexity. But this is meant to be consumed earlier than the rest of the range, while other Betz Family Wines are aging in the cellar. The wine ends with a focused finish with depth and breadth rarely found at this price point. This 1,500-case production overdelivers. Well done!
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.