2016 Bryant Family Bettina Bryant Proprietary Red Wine California Red

2016 Bryant Family Bettina Bryant Proprietary Red Wine

97 JS

Featured Review

Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied, dense and layered palate with lots of dark chocolate, hazelnuts and berries at the end. A hint of white pepper. Shows lots of tannins, but they are round and polished. Drink after 2022. James Suckling

James Suckling | 97 JS

Dark, sumptuous and beautifully textured in the glass, the 2016 Bettina is positively stellar. All the elements come together effortlessly in the glass. Crème de cassis, blueberry jam, spice, new leather and menthol develop, but it is the wine's exceptional balance and breeding that stand out most. Medium in body and super-refined, the 2016 is a real pleasure to taste today. As a reminder, the Bettina is a blend made from various David Abreu vineyards.

Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2016 Bettina is more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated and checks in as 88% Cabernet, 6% Merlot, and 3% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with the DB4 release, it offers terrific freshness and purity as well as complex notes of currants, graphite, dark chocolate, and subtle herbal and tobacco notes. Beautifully rich, full-bodied, and straight up seamless on the palate, it has perfectly integrated tannins and the balance and depth to keep for 20-25 years.

Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JD

The majority of the blend here comes from the Abreu’s Thorevilos vineyard with a splash from Bryant. Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Bettina Bryant Proprietary Red Wine is deep garnet-purple colored with an incredibly complex meaty/earthy nose offering notions of beef, charcuterie, black olives and truffles with dried herbs over a tantalizing core of cassis, resin, warm plums and blackberries plus a waft of mossy bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is firm, grainy and earthy/savory, with a long finish.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

(Bryant Estate, BETTINA, Napa Valley, St Helena, California, USA, Red) The texture is arresting right from the first attack, with slate and mineral highlights that slow down its progression through the palate, giving plenty of time to enjoy the woodsmoke, cigar box, blueberry puree and rich cassis fruits. Clear spice and extremely silky tannins, this is well controlled, plump and plush, with just the right amount of menthol on the finish to move things upwards without pulling up short. Cabernet Franc completes the blend. (Drink between 2023-2035)

Decanter | 95 DEC

This focused, dark-fruited and well-structured Cabernet features black currant and warm fig preserve flavors, scored with grilled savory and tobacco leaf streaks and backed by charcoal and loam notes on the finish. Offers a burly, old-school edge, with bay leaf and leather details, but retains ample depth of fruit. Give this some time in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2034. 800 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Type of Wine	California Red : Whether it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Zinfandel, Californian red wine producers have a lovely habit of taking a varietal and expressing its essence in a unique, never before seen way. From Napa Valley to the regions south of Los Angeles, there's a red for everyone - and it's never too late to start exploring.
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.
Subregion	Napa Valley
Appellation	Pritchard Hill

Producer	Bryant Family : The “Cult Wines” of California have become a phenomenon over the past few decades, creating a stir among enthusiast, filling up waiting lists, and flooding the market with and exuberance that is matched by exorbitant pricing that people are more than willing to pay. Like many California cult wineries, Brant Family Vineyards has a relatively young history. Though short, the story of Bryant is one of vision shared by Don and Bettina Bryant and their quest to produce wine that reflects that vision. After purchasing land on Pritchard Hill nearly 30 years ago, the estate was replanted to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Modern viticulture practices were employed and a nurturing team of local and international masters of their craft were implanted. Bryant’s diligent efforts quickly established one of California’s premier First Growth wines. The Bryant Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon debuted in 1992 and is now among Napa Valley’s most acclaimed labels. Bryant Estate wines are harvested, blended and produced entirely by hand from grapes planted and grown on the original 13-acre estate. The wines are bottled, labeled, wrapped and packaged by hand on the estate and shipped directly to clients. This hands on production helps lend a personal reflection of Don and Bettina’s vision to their customers. Bryant Estate overlooks Lake Hennessey on the western slope of Pritchard Hill nestled in the Vaca Mountains between Oakville, Howell Mountain, Rutherford and Chiles Valley. With its prime micro-climate perched high above the Napa fog line, its rich soils of diverse geological features of volcanic structure, and Napa’s deep tradition of wine-growing makes the location nearly flawless for producing wines of elite quality. It’s no wonder Bryant Family Vineyards has enjoyed rapid success and risen to Cult status in such a short span of time. The flagship Cabernet Sauvignon hails from tremendous terroir, a confluence of climate and soil and is nurtured by a team of experts committed to success of its creation while respecting nature. The complexity of the site yields unusually dynamic wines for a single varietal. They demonstrate structural elegance, balance with good acidity, and plush tannins; all the elements that make them very age-worthy. Annual production has ranged from 300-1,000 cases depending on the vintage. Bryant Family produces two other wines, DB4 and Bettina, which are blends of a myriad of grapes sourced from David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch, Thorevilos and Las Posadas Vineyards.