2008 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Grown 25th Anniversary
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Tasting notes
(16.1% alcohol): Dark red-ruby. Aromas of plum, licorice, minerals and wild herbs, plus a whiff of spun sugar. In a distinctly plush, creamy-sweet style, conveying an opulent dried-fruit character complicated by a faint leathery quality. Not the last word in complexity but finishes with very smooth tannins and excellent length. This wine is carrying just 1.2 grams per liter of residual sugar but tastes sweeter than that. Not a classic style for this bottling, and certainly ready to drink.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This has lots of spices, dark fruits, and hints of coffee. Full-bodied, with firm tannins. Wonderful purity of fruit and flowers. This has it all there.
Bright ruby. Pungent aromas of candied raspberry, licorice, espresso and graphite, with a hint of meat. Sweet, broad and voluptuous; lush, large-scaled and glyceral for the vintage. This compellingly creamy, seamless wine shows an almost confectionery quality to its raspberry and chocolate flavors. Finishes with utterly silky tannins and outstanding length.
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon (794 cases) shows more chocolate, roasted espresso, blueberry and blackberry characteristics in addition to more concentration and depth than I noticed last year and a big, powerful, glycerin-imbued, heady finish. It should drink well for 15 years. One of Napa Valley’s most beautiful vineyards is Don Bryant’s vineyard high on Pritchard Hill, just below Colgin and Tim Mondavi’s Continuum and not far from such other benchmark properties as Chappellet, Del Dotto and David Arthur. These are all 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but the production rarely passes 1,000 cases, even in the most abundant vintages. Don Bryant told me he is also launching a second wine called DB Four but I did not taste it. Tel. (707) 963-0483; Fax (707) 963-0482