The 2007 Bosoleil is Betz Family’s take on Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, and 5% Syrah sourced from three AVAs. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up a fragrant perfume of cigar box, lavender, sage, black cherry, and black raspberry. Layered on the palate, it has a silky texture, layered, savory red and black fruit, spice and earth notes, and a sweet, lengthy finish. It will benefit from 1-2 years of additional bottle age and offer prime drinking from 2011 to 2019. Betz Family Winery remains one of Washington’s benchmarks for top quality wines from Rhone and Bordeaux grape varieties. Bob Betz’s 2007 collection shows him continuing at the top of his game (with plenty of help from his family). Tel. (425) 861-9823; www.betzfamilywienry.com

This new release of Besoleil is 80% Grenache; 5% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre. Intensely aromatic, bursting with black cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas, its luscious palate is replete with black fruits. There are streaks of tree bark, a whiff of smoke and above all intensity of fruit.——P.G.(12/31/2009)—— 92