inky dark red color, almost impenetrable, arching nose of cassis and plum with hints of dark spice, oak, ripe blackberries, on the palate big jammy fruit with cola notes leading into a midpalate marred by hard oak and a hot finish, this is less heavy handed than usual but still quite a lot to handle, chocolate note, on the front end this is a rich and appealing modern wine- but the excesses of oak and heat on the back end really kill it for me, in all fairness though- remember I am not big on oak and alcohol, and this is better balanced to my palate than most other examples I have had from this winery, so many will surely love it- and it was certainly a favorite with many people tonight, for my part I think this really needed to be served with a meal- a nice big steak with a couple of strong side dishes would show this in a much better light.
** for me personally, **** in the realm of big modern Cabs.
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Awesomely open right now. Very intense nose of black currant and other blackfruit. There's elements of iron and soil as well especially in the pallet to complement the freshness of the darker fruit notes. Even some herbal sweetness on the backend! Awesome.
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Outstanding young Cabernet. Excellent balance. About a decade away from peak. Really one of the better Bryant’s I’ve had, which I’ve found sometimes are more hype than substance.
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A Week in Cabo; 6/28/2022-7/7/2022 (Cabo San Lucas): PnP with a shake decant in bottle. Drank well out of the gate. From the looks and smell alone one would call this a badass. Full bodied, no bricking, glycerine-like across the palate and in the glass, yet still some structure holding things together, some chalky tannins but mostly resolved. Nose-cassis and pungent blackberries along with an iron earthy note, and the same on the palate with a mineral saline streak holding it together. At 60 min, lovely caramel and butterscotch notes appeared from nowhere. Would drink this everyday if it weren’t priced where it was. Muy excelente! 98 for now as I think this get better in 5 years, holding my last bottle until 2027.
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Still very youthful but a lot of pleasure to drink already. This comes from a time where Bryant really started to get a good grip on their identity. What a pleasure to drink
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Quite a beautiful bottle of wine, the 2012 Bryant Cabernet shows dark and chewy berry flavors on the front end, dropping squarely on the palate with a balanced combination of concentration and intensity, and finishing with a curvy tail that is smooth, but not so smooth it loses traction. There is a red currant streak that saves this from becoming too rounded or plush. The depth builds, at first subtle and curious, but increasing with time and air.
Next to the Bettina, the Cabernet shows additional depth and dimension. Though I slightly prefer the flavor profile of the Bettina, this Cabernet (and other Bryant Cabernets I've had of more recent vintages) exhibits extra layers of complexity - and even more so, mid-palate depth and profundity. The 2012 is in a seemingly optimum drinking window now, where freshness and resolve play well together. The tannin management here is most impressive. 96-97 points.
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This wine is aging just beautifully. Aromatically complex with notes of black licorice, violets, forest floor, black cherries, bay leaf and tobacco. The fruit is still fresh, pure and focused, with developing tertiary notes and well integrated tannin that put it right at what is likely the beginning of its peak drinking window. Exceptionally layered, deeply complex and nuanced, the finish is long and building. Really fabulous.
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My btl wasn’t the best as the cork was up by 1/8”. Initial pour was musty and brown with no smell. Decanted for an hr, the color darkened up and the nose was pure Cab. Outstanding in the glass, great palate feel, long finish and quite nice with lamb chops. BUY
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Tasted at Bryant in Pritchard Hill. This was SOO young but you could tell how elegant and awesome this wine will be in 10,15,20 y. Dark red, with currant, cherry, and that great smoke and graphite of a classic BDX. Nice old world Napa style here. Plenty of upside. Pleasure to taste
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This ripe and layered Cabernet is drinking impeccably at this moment, with a classy mix of flavors ranging from the ripe to savory and herbal. It needs a few hours now, but - even then - this seems like a wine that's still on its way to someplace even better.
Brick red in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas fo boysenberry, graphite, sage, and espresso. Beautifully integrated flavors of blueberry, bay leaf, eucalyptus, and trail dust, with a balanced finish that goes on and on. This wine is open-knit now, but it's just beginning to unfold. 96-97 at the moment, with upside in another 2-3 years. Made by Helen Keplinger. 15.2% alcohol.
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Drinks at Park90 (Park90): This was absolutely lovely. Young of course, but very good indeed. The nose was really attractive after an hour in the decanter, with notes of loamy earth floating around a core cassis and plums - these lifted with little bits of tobacco spice, toasted cedar chips and a hint of violet florals. Really nice. The palate was very strong as well. Still youthful, still shaded by a noticeable touch of wood, but this unfolded with effortless power across the mouth, with notes of cassis, blueberries and plums, seasoned with a nice touch of peppery spice and dried florals. Rich, powerful, compelling stuff, but structured with tannins and a decent bit of acidty that kept it all balanced in spite of its 15.2% weight. Good long finish too, with just a hint of drying woody tannins shading plump blue and black fruit notes. This to me was an arcehetype of what a top-notch Napa Cab should be: a wine of elegance and power; hedonistic, yet perfectly controlled. This was very, very good indeed; drinking nicely now, but with its best years easily 6-8 years ahead of it. A beautifully enjoyable wine. Bravo. 95+
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Very closed initially then opened after an hour in the decanter. Licorice and dark fruit with a medium to long finish that had elements of bramble fruit and sage. Seems quite young still. 95+ with time.
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Ready to go. Sweet fruit giving way to a slightly mature mouthfeel of blackberry and fig with some leather and a hint of tobacco and black cherry. This is a well balanced wine. Blackberry finish with good acidity and still a fine grit tannin. Robust but I would call this classic Napa vs the Odette Reserve 12 and the Abreu 12 Las Posadas. Although I think my mood was more for the Odette today, the Bryant is really doing well and I think lots of people like this older than younger but I'm starting to disagree. Drink now IMO.
Tasted at the winery Balanced and plenty acidic. Big wine...should have decanted possibly. Lots of other notes so I won’t waste space repeating what others have said...there should never be a complaint about Bryant!
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Felt the most balanced and old world of the Pritchard Hill tasting. My favorite followed closely by Colgin IX Estate. Nice mix of savory notes and acidity to balance the dark fruit. Plenty big.
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Powerful, lush, fat, rich, concentrated, lusciously textured wine, with layers of blackberry, blue fruit, licorice, smoke, coffee, chocolate, vanilla and jam. A touch of heat, but there is such a wealth of fruit here, that heat is quickly smothered by another wave of ripe, sweet, dark fruits.
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Decanted and served with Chateaubriand. Showing extremely well. Nose of polished cassis. On the palate, exquisitely focused bright single-vineyard fruit with lengthy finish. Supremely enjoyable. This is a real treat and priced accordingly.
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At Brooklyn Cafe in Sandy Springs Georgia Bryant wine tasting event. Decanted two hours and back into the bottle. Balance is the key here. Great wine and surprisingly drinking well young. Drink or hold.
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During a CabSav Dinner. Nose of dark fruit, dark cherry, some bakery notes. Medium complexity. Ripe palate but with the structure to support it. Better than the Bettina, solid in the mid 90ies for sure but upper 90ies...? As always with Napa Cult, terrible QPR.
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11/9/2023 - Mkamitsuka wrote:
Hold until 2027
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4/15/2023 - Bbugni wrote: 100 Points
Dad’s idea to pair with cheeseburgers
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10/20/2022 - Elpaninaro wrote:
from magnum
inky dark red color, almost impenetrable, arching nose of cassis and plum with hints of dark spice, oak, ripe blackberries, on the palate big jammy fruit with cola notes leading into a midpalate marred by hard oak and a hot finish, this is less heavy handed than usual but still quite a lot to handle, chocolate note, on the front end this is a rich and appealing modern wine- but the excesses of oak and heat on the back end really kill it for me, in all fairness though- remember I am not big on oak and alcohol, and this is better balanced to my palate than most other examples I have had from this winery, so many will surely love it- and it was certainly a favorite with many people tonight, for my part I think this really needed to be served with a meal- a nice big steak with a couple of strong side dishes would show this in a much better light.
** for me personally, **** in the realm of big modern Cabs.
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7/30/2022 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Awesomely open right now. Very intense nose of black currant and other blackfruit. There's elements of iron and soil as well especially in the pallet to complement the freshness of the darker fruit notes. Even some herbal sweetness on the backend! Awesome.
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7/8/2022 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 98 Points
Outstanding young Cabernet. Excellent balance. About a decade away from peak. Really one of the better Bryant’s I’ve had, which I’ve found sometimes are more hype than substance.
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7/1/2022 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 98 Points
A Week in Cabo; 6/28/2022-7/7/2022 (Cabo San Lucas): PnP with a shake decant in bottle. Drank well out of the gate. From the looks and smell alone one would call this a badass. Full bodied, no bricking, glycerine-like across the palate and in the glass, yet still some structure holding things together, some chalky tannins but mostly resolved. Nose-cassis and pungent blackberries along with an iron earthy note, and the same on the palate with a mineral saline streak holding it together. At 60 min, lovely caramel and butterscotch notes appeared from nowhere. Would drink this everyday if it weren’t priced where it was. Muy excelente! 98 for now as I think this get better in 5 years, holding my last bottle until 2027.
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6/10/2022 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted over cocktails. This is a surprisingly feminine Bryant, with perfumed blackcurrant, fine tannins, and saucy acid. Very well done!
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5/25/2022 - G_H wrote: 95 Points
Still very youthful but a lot of pleasure to drink already. This comes from a time where Bryant really started to get a good grip on their identity. What a pleasure to drink
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5/15/2022 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
1997 Bryant Cabernet, 2012 Bryant Cabernet, 2015 Bryant Bettina.
Quite a beautiful bottle of wine, the 2012 Bryant Cabernet shows dark and chewy berry flavors on the front end, dropping squarely on the palate with a balanced combination of concentration and intensity, and finishing with a curvy tail that is smooth, but not so smooth it loses traction. There is a red currant streak that saves this from becoming too rounded or plush. The depth builds, at first subtle and curious, but increasing with time and air.
Next to the Bettina, the Cabernet shows additional depth and dimension. Though I slightly prefer the flavor profile of the Bettina, this Cabernet (and other Bryant Cabernets I've had of more recent vintages) exhibits extra layers of complexity - and even more so, mid-palate depth and profundity. The 2012 is in a seemingly optimum drinking window now, where freshness and resolve play well together. The tannin management here is most impressive. 96-97 points.
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5/13/2022 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine is aging just beautifully. Aromatically complex with notes of black licorice, violets, forest floor, black cherries, bay leaf and tobacco. The fruit is still fresh, pure and focused, with developing tertiary notes and well integrated tannin that put it right at what is likely the beginning of its peak drinking window. Exceptionally layered, deeply complex and nuanced, the finish is long and building. Really fabulous.
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10/27/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
My btl wasn’t the best as the cork was up by 1/8”. Initial pour was musty and brown with no smell. Decanted for an hr, the color darkened up and the nose was pure Cab. Outstanding in the glass, great palate feel, long finish and quite nice with lamb chops. BUY
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9/22/2021 - parkline_wine wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at Bryant in Pritchard Hill. This was SOO young but you could tell how elegant and awesome this wine will be in 10,15,20 y. Dark red, with currant, cherry, and that great smoke and graphite of a classic BDX. Nice old world Napa style here. Plenty of upside. Pleasure to taste
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6/2/2021 - msuwine wrote: 97 Points
This ripe and layered Cabernet is drinking impeccably at this moment, with a classy mix of flavors ranging from the ripe to savory and herbal. It needs a few hours now, but - even then - this seems like a wine that's still on its way to someplace even better.
Brick red in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas fo boysenberry, graphite, sage, and espresso. Beautifully integrated flavors of blueberry, bay leaf, eucalyptus, and trail dust, with a balanced finish that goes on and on. This wine is open-knit now, but it's just beginning to unfold. 96-97 at the moment, with upside in another 2-3 years. Made by Helen Keplinger. 15.2% alcohol.
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4/7/2021 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Drinks at Park90 (Park90): This was absolutely lovely. Young of course, but very good indeed. The nose was really attractive after an hour in the decanter, with notes of loamy earth floating around a core cassis and plums - these lifted with little bits of tobacco spice, toasted cedar chips and a hint of violet florals. Really nice. The palate was very strong as well. Still youthful, still shaded by a noticeable touch of wood, but this unfolded with effortless power across the mouth, with notes of cassis, blueberries and plums, seasoned with a nice touch of peppery spice and dried florals. Rich, powerful, compelling stuff, but structured with tannins and a decent bit of acidty that kept it all balanced in spite of its 15.2% weight. Good long finish too, with just a hint of drying woody tannins shading plump blue and black fruit notes. This to me was an arcehetype of what a top-notch Napa Cab should be: a wine of elegance and power; hedonistic, yet perfectly controlled. This was very, very good indeed; drinking nicely now, but with its best years easily 6-8 years ahead of it. A beautifully enjoyable wine. Bravo. 95+
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3/24/2020 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very closed initially then opened after an hour in the decanter. Licorice and dark fruit with a medium to long finish that had elements of bramble fruit and sage. Seems quite young still. 95+ with time.
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3/9/2020 - mflesh wrote: 97 Points
Ready to go. Sweet fruit giving way to a slightly mature mouthfeel of blackberry and fig with some leather and a hint of tobacco and black cherry. This is a well balanced wine. Blackberry finish with good acidity and still a fine grit tannin. Robust but I would call this classic Napa vs the Odette Reserve 12 and the Abreu 12 Las Posadas. Although I think my mood was more for the Odette today, the Bryant is really doing well and I think lots of people like this older than younger but I'm starting to disagree. Drink now IMO.
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1/25/2020 - Millers54 Likes this wine: 96 Points
PandP ; delightful ; fruit on the nose ; after taste long enough to enjoy
This will age great , 96 today w room to improve
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10/1/2019 - apg23 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at the winery Balanced and plenty acidic. Big wine...should have decanted possibly. Lots of other notes so I won’t waste space repeating what others have said...there should never be a complaint about Bryant!
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11/10/2018 - Quiet Lion wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle. Oxidized or slight taint. So sad.
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9/30/2018 - asteff Likes this wine: 96 Points
Felt the most balanced and old world of the Pritchard Hill tasting. My favorite followed closely by Colgin IX Estate. Nice mix of savory notes and acidity to balance the dark fruit. Plenty big.
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9/9/2018 - fournet wrote: 94 Points
A more elegant or refined version of a modern Cali cab. Very nice. Needed a two hour decant.
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12/25/2017 - CarguyGM wrote:
Great wine only got better as it opened up , had it wine prime rib , paired incredibly !
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11/26/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Powerful, lush, fat, rich, concentrated, lusciously textured wine, with layers of blackberry, blue fruit, licorice, smoke, coffee, chocolate, vanilla and jam. A touch of heat, but there is such a wealth of fruit here, that heat is quickly smothered by another wave of ripe, sweet, dark fruits.
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10/19/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted and served with Chateaubriand. Showing extremely well. Nose of polished cassis. On the palate, exquisitely focused bright single-vineyard fruit with lengthy finish. Supremely enjoyable. This is a real treat and priced accordingly.
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8/29/2017 - rashcar Likes this wine: 95 Points
At Brooklyn Cafe in Sandy Springs Georgia Bryant wine tasting event. Decanted two hours and back into the bottle. Balance is the key here. Great wine and surprisingly drinking well young. Drink or hold.
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6/17/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
During a CabSav Dinner. Nose of dark fruit, dark cherry, some bakery notes. Medium complexity. Ripe palate but with the structure to support it. Better than the Bettina, solid in the mid 90ies for sure but upper 90ies...? As always with Napa Cult, terrible QPR.
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3/12/2016 - burgundian Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just Stunning,
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