Today we tasted a wonderful Washington State gem: the 2013 Betz Family La Cote Rousse Syrah and it has this rare, delicious combination of perfectly ripe black fruit, meaty mineral and spice nuance and depth and a finish that goes on for almost a minute already! Bob Betz runs this wonderful winery and he is the only Master of Wine in Washington State. His Red Mountain La Cote Rousse is BIG, brooding, structured and inky. It has loads of blackberry and black cherry to go with the smoked meat, dusty gravel and bacon fat flavors. It is amazingly full bodied with loads of power but remains refined and elegant thanks to the cooler nature of the 2013 vintage in Washington. Simply put, this wine ticks all the boxes you could hope for in a world-class red to drink and age over the next few decades. I am drinking it now and I wish I could email this amazing flavor! We immediately bought everything in Texas!! The only problem… There are only 36 bottles to go around! Act fast to make sure you grab some while it lasts. Thanks!

2013 Betz Family La Cote Rousse Syrah

Graileys Price: $59.95 per bottle | $719 per case

95+ Points Parker: Much more mineral driven than the La Serenne release, the 2013 Syrah la Cote Rousse comes all from Red Mountain and is always 100% Syrah. Like the other Syrahs here, it saw 11 months in barrel and won’t be released until the fall of 2015. Exhibiting lots of blackberry, black raspberry, graphite, smoke and crushed rock, it’s beautifully concentrated, has top-notch purity of fruit and a great finish. I love its mid-palate density, and while it has a lot of tannins, they’re nicely integrated into the body of the wine. Give it 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2033. It should be one of the longest-lived Syrahs in the vintage.

This is a wonderful Washington Syrah that easily drinks twice the price. It has amazing density, wonderful purity of fruit and impressive length. Grab some while it lasts!  kim@graileys.com