I've never (that's ever) enjoyed a bottle of young Walla Walla Syrah as much as Betz's 2018 Domaine de Pierres.
What makes it so incredible? Beautiful fruit. Fabulous complexity. Texture and feel with no edges, only curves. Stunning balance–alcohol below 14% with power and richness to spare. There is an actual handful of cases available; be one of the lucky few to have this in your glass. -Marcus
97 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Coming from the Ancient Stones Vineyard in the Rocks region of Walla Walla, the 2018 Syrah Domaine De Pierres is 100% Syrah that was not destemmed and was brought up in a mix of small and larger barrels. Classic Rocks notes of red and blue fruits, peppered game, exotic flowers, sweet mulch, and other herbal and cedary notes define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a soft, rounded texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. While it has plenty of funkiness, it also has ample fruit as well as purity. It's approachable today yet will keep for 10-15 years.
The style at Betz has changed subtly over the past handful of years, with winemaker Louis Skinner imparting his own style. The wines today are slightly less concentrated, and the deep, inky purple color preferred by the previous winemaker, Bob Betz, has been replaced with a more vivid ruby/purple hue that’s not always opaque. I love the overall balance of the wines today and I think taken as a whole, the new style emphasizes elegance and age-worthiness over sheer richness and power. Most of these 2018s should be given at least a few years in the cellar and will have broad drink windows. Louis is one of the most intelligent and inquisitive winemakers out there and he’s doing a fabulous job with these wines.