Community Tasting Note

msuwine wrote:

Friday, April 30, 2021 - It’s a Pritchard Hill showdown, with a twist: the grapes come from David Abreu’s vineyards, but the wines aren’t made by Brad Grimes. Instead, I decided to compare two Cabernet blends made by Colgin (Cariad) and Bryant (Bettina) made from Abreu grapes (Madrona, Thorevilos, and Las Posadas). The results? After following both for five hours, they are each dense, rich, layered, delicious, ageable, and expensive. Which one is better?

It is very close, but tonight the Bryant Bettina had the edge. The Colgin was sleek and reserved, a Bach-like wine of order with beauty; it took a while to open up, but it offered incredible nuance and depth. The Bryant was open-knit and welcoming, a Beethoven-like wine of structure with enthusiasm; it has a density and class that was even better than when I opened it a few months ago (1/21 - 96 points). I would drink either wine in a heartbeat, since there’s no doubt that, even now, these are both stunning, incredible wines.

- Colgin Cariad. Dark red in color and full in body, the wine initially offers reticent aromas of menthol, boysenberry, leather, and licorice, but it becomes more expansive after a few hours of air. The flavors include blackberry, pencil lead, tar, and cocoa powder, with a sweet and layered finish that carries some dusty tannin. Blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. 14.9% alcohol. This needs more time in bottle than the Bettina, but the upside is real in another 2-5 years. Decant at least two hours. Made by Allison Tauziet (now winemaking director). 96 at the moment.

- Bryant Bettina. Similarly dark in color and full in body, the Bettina offers more expressive and expansive aromas of blueberry, mocha, fresh embers, and mulberry. The flavors are also more round, with notes of blueberry, espresso, leather, and cardamon, with a more viscous and chocolatey finish. Blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. Made by Marc Gagnon, with assistance from KK Carothers (current head winemaker). 15.2% alcohol. 97 at the moment.

I was thinking about opening an Abreu wine just to add to the mix, but then I remembered that my kids need to be able to go to college. Compared to a Madrona or Capella, though, my sense is that both the Cariad and the Bettina are more polished and forward, without the denseness and wildness that Brad’s wines offer. My hunch is that Brad's wines are the best of the bunch (to me), but I can’t prove it, like, scientifically, like ever. This kind of hair-splitting is silly when the wines are so good (but so is paying this much money for fermented grape juice!). Bottom line, the Cariad and Bettina are fantastic wines that should only get better: Napa at its very best.

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