Betz 2020 Non-Vintage Pt 1

Betz 2020 Non-Vintage Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. A Washington winery has become the first to announce that it will not be producing any 2020 vintages thanks to smoke taint from last year’s wildfires.

Bridgit Griessel, owner of Woodinville’s Betz Family Winery, says it was heartbreaking when the fires were happening and they understood very clearly what the potential risks were …

GRIESSEL … “Unfortunately, the minute we initially do our tasting the wine and seeing the fruit coming in, we realized that there was going to be a real chance of smoke taint was going to be a reality for us.”

And after that, Griessel says came the moment of truth …

GRIESSEL … “And, the minute that we identified it through taste and then got it verified through the lab, it was an easy decision for us to say, well we know we can’t produce a wine from this.”

It wasn’t something, Griessel says they could live with …

GRIESSEL … “That part of it was easy because we were never going to compromise, you know, the product that we make, but it was heartbreaking just to watch the whole thing unfold.”

And unfortunately, Griessel says it wasn’t just one of the varieties they produce, it was all of them …

GRIESSEL … “So, we were really hoping that there was going to be some lots that were not going to be effected, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case for us. And, it does vary from vineyard to vineyard and, obviously, this is a very personal choice for us.”

Tune in tomorrow for more on what this lost 2020 Vintage means for Betz Family Winery moving forward.

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