2019 Bettina

The 2021s at Bryant are quite promising. Like many estates, Bryant saw very little rainfall, just 7 inches, as opposed to the more typical 25-30. Yields are down by a massive 40%. I tasted the 2021s from barrel, as the wines are being bottled on the later side. Winemaker KK Carothers certainly seems to have gotten the most out of the vintage. I also had a chance to taste the 2019s in finished form now that they have recovered from what was also a late bottling. Bryant fans will note the addition of a new Chardonnay. I am not always a fan of new non-core wines like this, but the Chardonnay is undeniably delicious. More than anything, though, I have to say Bettina Bryant has done a tremendous job in creating stability at Bryant, something that was such an Achilles' heel in the past. That she has done that while dealing with Don Bryant’s long-term illness and the loss of their St. Helena home in the 2020 wildfires is all the more remarkable.