As with the 2011 Clos de Betz, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille is a softer, more approachable version of its 2010 counterpart. A Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend, it offers up a pretty, perfumed bouquet of jammy raspberry, cassis, tobacco and assorted floral nuances to go with a full-bodied, seamless and elegant profile on the palate. Where the 2010 will require cellar time to become civilized, this should be reasonably approachable on release; nevertheless, it should evolve gracefully given its overall balance and purity. Drink 2014-2026. Always one of my favorite visits, Betz Family Winery is owned and run by Steve and Bridgit Griessel (since 2011), with Washington State veteran Bob Betz and assistant winemaker Tyson Schiffner making the wines. While I’ve been drinking this estate’s Rhone blends for years, this was my first experience with the Bordeaux blends, and certainly, I came away impressed. Across the board, everything showed the classic Betz characteristics of inky colors, solid concentration and clean, overall age-worthy and beautifully made profiles. Looking at 2010 and 2011, 2010 is a slightly stronger vintage with additional concentration and depth, where the 2011s should be more approachable early on.www.betzfamilywinery.com

Just coming out of the cocoon phase between youth and maturity, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille is currently oak-dominated on the nose with elements of chocolate-covered espresso beans, dusty cherry skin and wilted red flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the mid-palate shows layers of bright acidity and lingering tannins that will deliver better in a few years, and it should drink gracefully for more than a decade.