2013 Bettina

My most recent visit to Bryant was full of mixed emotions. It was the first time I can remember that Don Bryant was not around, as health issues have unfortunately become more debilitating. At the same time, though, the 2014s I saw are some of the very finest wines I have tasted here. Newly arrived winemaker Marc Gagnon has brought a high level of sensibility to these wines, drawing from his background in art history and his work experience in wine, the most recent of which was at Screaming Eagle. Gagnon has moved pick dates up slightly and increased the diversity of barrel suppliers. I even saw one terra cotta amphora that is being used in 2015. Kudos to President Bettina Bryant for giving Gagnon a measure of freedom to experiment. Now, it's up to the Bryants to create organizational stability, something that has been the Achilles heel here for some time. It is hard enough to make good wine, very hard to make truly great wine and nearly impossible to do either consistently without continuity. As for the wines themselves, well, the 2014s are full of promise. Like many of his colleagues, Gagnon gave the 2014s a bit more time on the skins. If he can capture what he has in barrel, Gagnon could very well make two fabulous 2014s. The 2013s are wines of transition and, therefore, more variable and also noticeably heavier in style. I would be remiss in not mentioning that the DB4, Bryant's second wine, remains one of the finest values in Napa Valley today.