Mostly Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Clos de Betz barrel sample is floral, finessed and perfectly rocky with fresh, juicy plum and black cherry notes that waft with classy oak spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is focused, finessed and pure, with energetic acidity, and it ends with a lush, fresh-fruited, mineral-laced finish. Only 9,000 bottles were made for the world.

Succulent, ripe and juicy, the 2019 Clos de Betz offers fresh aromas of red cherry, juicy plum and black raspberry with a delightful dusty and floral essence that wafts from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is focused, precise and delineated, showing impressive mineral tension, mouth-watering acidity and fine-grained tannins. The Clos de Betz concludes with a long-lingering and evolving finish and will remain food-friendly for almost two decades, proving to be crushable in youth and age-worthy with cellaring.

The 2018 Clos de Betz is composed of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. In the glass, the wine is brilliant dark ruby with a firm ruby edge and opens to a nose that is full of red fruit tension and aromas of black raspberry, black plum, dark cherry and spiced red potpourri. Medium-bodied, the mouthfeel is silky with firm tannins and a balanced structure. The wine continues with flavors of dark cherry essence and a soft smoky tone across the lingering finish. It’s a delicious wine that will be approachable upon release, but don’t feel rushed to drink it right away—it has finesse and will age beautifully, so be patient. Only 7,200 bottles produced.

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Clos de Betz has a vibrant expression on the nose, with plush, generous fruit aromas and an underlying brooding tightness. Full-bodied on the palate, the fleshy, plump fruit tones deliver a velvety lushness over the mid-palate, then the wine becomes more dusty and rigid on the finish, ending with oak spices that linger. I will revisit this swine in 36 months, as I suspect it will show better at a later date. This will easily last a decade and more. 750 cases produced.

The 2016 Clos de Betz is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Wafting from the glass, the silky red fruit has a subtle spiciness and a note of rich, dusty flowers on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, dusty plum and just-ripe fruit tones dance across the palate with elegance and ease, showing balanced acidity and a complex, layered expression. It ends with a long, grippy and focused sensation on the finish, revealing a very special wine that will last for years to come. It's delicious now, but you will reward your future self by cellaring this for at least 10 years. 950 cases were produced.