Instantly impressive from the first sniff, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille is still plush and fleshy on the nose with hints of sweet oak, plum skin and vanilla with a soft floral lift. Still in great shape, the wine is generous and expressive, possessing balance, elegance and power. Even after tasting the wine, I am drawn back to the nose, where I want to keep smelling it, taking in its seductive aromas. It's drinking great now, but it can hold for another six to seven years in the cellar. I'm finishing this glass.

This is taut, muscular, toasty, young and tight; the fruit is concentrated, pure and evocative, with earthy flavors that add notes of soil, spice and mineral. The most complex of all the Betz blends, in this vintage it includes 84% Cabernet Sauvignon—far and away the dominant flavor. The fruits unfold in a rich panoply of reds and blues; the tannins are rich and chewy, polished and complex, showing exemplary back of the palate grip and concentration. ——P.G.(8/1/2009)—— 96