2021 Bettina

The 2022s from Bryant are so attractive. Winemaker KK Carothers gave the 2022s a bit longer on the skins, as the wines did not extract easily. She also opted for some stem inclusion in the Franc to lift the aromatics, a technique not often used in Napa Valley. Conversely, the 2021 saw less time on the skins because the wines extracted easily, but it then required a few additional months in barrel to soften the tannins. As good as the wines are today, proprietor Bettina Bryant has also done a terrific job in managing the winery, something that can't be underestimated in terms of guaranteeing the best environment for achieving the desired results in both the winery and the wines themselves.

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.