2005 Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon

(84% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% malbec) Good deep, bright ruby-red. Sappy aromas of crushed blackberry, licorice, minerals and spices. Wonderfully sweet but less pliant and open today than the Clos de Betz; more affected by the bottling. With aeration, this showed subtle cabernet notes of cassis, Belgian chocolate and fresh herbs. This dense, thick wine boasts outstanding structure and dimension, and finishes with terrific persistence. Betz used his highest percentage of cabernet sauvignon to date in this wine, and the lowest amount of merlot.

The 2005 Pere de Famille, a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec, is even more saturated in color. The nose, however, is a bit muted. With coaxing, mineral, pencil lead, espresso, black currant, and blackberry aromas emerge. This is followed by a supple-textured wine with gobs of fruit but less complexity than its sibling. There is sufficient structure for further evolution, but the finish is slightly compressed. Time will likely round out this wine and my score will then appear to be conservative. As an aside, I tasted a barrel sample of a 2006 Petit Verdot from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard of which there are only two barrels (50 cases). Were it to be bottled separately, I would rate it (97-100). However, Bob Betz, informed me just prior to going to press that he has decided to blend it into the 2006 Pere de Famille. Oh well? Tel. (425) 861-9823; www.betzfamilywinery.com