Bryant Family Vineyard
{{Infobox Winery
| distribution
| winery_name = Bryant Estate
| winery_logo =
| location_city = St. Helena, California (Pritchard Hill)
| location_country = USA
| coordinates = {{coord|38.484348|-122.340211|display=title}}
| appellation = St. Helena AVA
| former_name =
| other_labels=
| year_founded = 1986
| first_vintage = 1992
| key_people = Donald L. Bryant Jr., Founder
Bettina S. Bryant, Proprietor & President
Kathryn Carothers, Winemaker
Michel Rolland, Consulting Enologist
| parent_company =
| cases_per_year =
| signature_wine = Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet
BETTINA
| varietal1 = Cabernet Sauvignon
| varietal2 = Merlot
| varietal3 = Cabernet Franc
| varietal4 = Petit Verdot
| varietal5 =
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| varietal8 =
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| other_product1=
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| homepage=[http://www.bryantwines.com www.bryantwines.com]
| tasting=not available for tastings or tours
}}
Bryant Family Vineyard is a California wine estate in the Napa Valley, founded by businessman Donald L. Bryant Jr.
Known for their 100% Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines grown on their Pritchard Hill estate, Bryant Estate was one of the original cult wines to emerge during the early 1990s, along with wineries such as Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate.{{cite web |last= Food & Wine Magazine |title= Cult Worship |url= http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/cult-worship-the-new-cult-cabernets |date= January 2004 |access-date= 2013-01-06 |archive-date= 2013-12-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203075253/http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/cult-worship-the-new-cult-cabernets |url-status= dead }} Low production levelsand high demand for the wines have driven prices to the upper echelon of wines produced in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://fine-magazines.epaper.fi/reader/?issue=8409;919160d5d654603a7aea5d746896a1e6;37|title=Napa Valley Classification: First and Second Growths|last=|first=|date=November 2009|work=Fine Magazine|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413142301/http://fine-magazines.epaper.fi/reader/?issue=8409;919160d5d654603a7aea5d746896a1e6;37|archive-date=2014-04-13|access-date=}}
As of 2009, Bryant Estate produces two additional labels, "Bettina" and "DB4". Bettina is a parallel wine to Bryant Family Vineyard, DB4 is a second wine, made of declassified wine from both Bettina and Bryant Family Vineyard labels.{{cite web|url=http://www.decanter.com/people-and-places/interviews/530737/interview-don-bryant-of-bryant-family-vineyard|title=Interview: Don Bryant of Bryant Family Vineyard|first=Kyle|last=Schlachter|date=2012-12-20|work=Decanter Magazine|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104104215/http://www.decanter.com:80/people-and-places/interviews/530737/interview-don-bryant-of-bryant-family-vineyard |archive-date=2013-01-04 |access-date=}}
History
In 1985, Bryant purchased the current site of the vineyard and winery with the intention of building a home. After learning that the site held excellent potential for grape growing, the decision was made to plant a vineyard at the location. The first vintage was released in 1992 with winemaker Helen Turley at the helm. Through the 1990s, the wines became part of the cult wine phenomenon, propelling Bryant Family Vineyard into cult winery status along with a number of other Napa Valley wineries,{{which|date=February 2020}} driving up prices and demand.{{cite web|url=http://www.winezap.com/articles/2005/03/cults.html|title=The Cults|last=|first=|date=March 2005|work=Wine Zap|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051111054347/http://www.winezap.com:80/articles/2005/03/cults.html |archive-date=2005-11-11 |access-date=}} The 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 wines scored 97, 98, 99, 99 and 100 points, respectively, on Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, thus solidifying the winery's status as one of the top Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.erobertparker.com|title=Wine Advocate Reviews|last=|first=|date=|work=Wine Advocate|url-status=dead|access-date=2013-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427003301/http://www.erobertparker.com/|archive-date=2006-04-27}}
Critic Robert Parker Jr., has remarked about Bryant Estate, "The wine from this hillside vineyard near Napa's Pritchard Hill, has already become mythical (1992 was the debut vintage). This is a wine of world-class quality, and is certainly as complete and potentially complex as any first-growth Bordeaux{{cite web|url=http://www.erobertparker.com/newSearch/th.aspx?th=39356&id=1&___z=j279hr34ZW3Kp2X%2f7VztuQ%3d%3d|title=Wine Advocate Issue #120|date=December 1998|url-status=dead|access-date=2013-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305100446/https://www.erobertparker.com/newSearch/th.aspx?th=39356&id=1&___z=j279hr34ZW3Kp2X%2f7VztuQ%3d%3d|archive-date=2017-03-05}}...It is not too much to suggest that in the future, Bryant's Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon might well be one of the wines that redefines greatness in Cabernet Sauvignon."{{cite web|url=http://www.erobertparker.com/newSearch/th.aspx?th=45621&id=1&___z=l4fiOklUUS23g9PCBT3wBw%3d%3d|title=Wine Advocate Issue #132|date=December 2000}}{{dead link|date=February 2020}} Critic Antonio Galloni, who has taken over Robert Parker Jr.'s role in scoring California wines for the Wine Advocate as of 2011, has stated, "Bryant is without question one of the most spectacular vineyards in Napa Valley. I don’t see any reason why the Cabernets that emerge from this property shouldn't be among the top 5-10 wines in the valley each and every year".{{cite web|url=http://www.erobertparker.com/newSearch/th.aspx?th=192183&id=1&___z=A0Zr7clJ2NlzVtpHllJUMA%3d%3d|title=Wine Advocate Issue #204|date=December 2012}}{{dead link|date=February 2020}}
Production
Bryant Estate overlooks Lake Hennessey and has approximately 13 acres under vine, all planted to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.{{cite web|url=http://www.bryantwines.com/wines|title=Bryant Wines|last=|first=|date=December 2012|work=Bryant Family Vineyard Wines|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820135539/http://bryantwines.com/wines |archive-date=2013-08-20 |access-date=}} The wine itself is called "Bryant Family Vineyard." Bettina wine is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from some of David Abreu's vineyards. DB4 is the second wine for Bryant Family, consisting of declassified wine from Bryant Family Vineyard and Bettina.{{cite web|url=http://bryantwines.com/wines|title=Bryant Family Vineyard Wines|last=|first=|date=December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820135539/http://bryantwines.com/wines |archive-date=2013-08-20 |access-date=}}{{failed verification|date=February 2020|reason=No mention of this wine or "declassification" in the given reference}}
References
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Category:Wineries in Napa Valley