Betz Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille 2021 (750ML)

97-99 WA / 98 JD / 95 VM / 95 DE

Made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with 16% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille is fresh, complex and floral with gobs of purity on the nose and picturesque aromas of spiced plum compote, blackberry reduction, succulent florals and elegant oak tones. Medium to full-bodied, the wine delivers a seductive and pleasurable mouthfeel with complex layers that show impressive depth and precision, with elegance and grace. Set to be released in March of 2024, this barrel sample is already begging me back for more. Get in line to capture any of the 10,800 bottles produced.—Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Pere De Famille is based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 20 months in roughly 50% new oak. This deep purple-hued effort boasts a killer nose of pure cassis, leafy herbs, graphite, and smoke tobacco that give way to a medium to full-bodied, pure, gorgeously layered, seamless Cabernet that has more than a passing resemblance to a great Saint-Julien. Its balance is spot on, and while it deserves 4-5 years of bottle age, it already offers pleasure even today. It will have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.-Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Père de Famille is dark and pleasingly herbal in the glass, wafting up with notes of cocoa, blackcurrant and dusty rose complemented by nuances of incense and white pepper. Silky and polished in style, with juicy acidity, this races across the palate with ripe red and black fruits, while sweet tannins mount toward the close. It nishes long and structured, with a slight bitter tinge that curls the tongue. Hints of licorice and sour orange linger.-Eric Guido, Vinous Media

Pere de Famille is by definition a stand-out wine from the Betz portfolio. It has a lovely nose of crushed black fruits, followed by a rich and ripe palate of dense morello cherry, cassis and blackberry, accompanied by complex background notes of cedar, cigar box and cream. These days the wine sees more barrel ageing, but the oak doesn’t intrude on the fruit and adds to the lush, finely judged tannins. There's great polish and definition here, with ample structure. It also comes equipped with lovely freshness, balance and a gorgeous finish.-John Stimpfig, Decanter