Brand Brio 2016
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2016 BRIO is a vibrant Bordeaux-style blend. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon provides a dense core of red fruit with 30% Cabernet Franc adding aromatic grace notes and 5% Petit Verdot contributing depth to the wine. Expressive and approachable, this wine displays dazzling notes of black cherry, cocoa powder and cardamom now and will reveal additional nuances with further aging.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Looking first at the 2016 Brio, which could be considered the second wine of the estate, it’s a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in 50% new oak. It’s a forward, fleshy, incredibly charming effort that gives up loads of black fruits, leafy herbs, licorice, and tapenade notes, full-bodied richness, and sweet tannins. It’s ready to go but will cruise for 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon from Pritchard Hill aged for 22 months in 50% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Brio has open-knit notes of warm cassis, blueberry tart and crushed plums with touches of chargrill, beef drippings and Marmite toast plus a touch of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with firm, chewy tannins and plenty of savory layers, finishing with a pleasant herbal lift.
Other Vintages
2015-
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Wine
Spectator
Ed and Deb Fitts have always believed in building the strongest business and personal relationships possible, selecting the right model and choosing the best people. They were drawn to this spectacular location above the cloud line because of the view of the distant valley and Lake Hennessey, but what they found up close was the proven soil of their neighbors and upon deeper inspection, we discovered that this land was ripe with promise. They were compelled to develop the potential of this property and guided by the expertise of our team we feel that we have begun the journey of a lifetime. Their vision is to build BRAND to a highly recognized name that represents the best red wine our vineyards on Pritchard Hill have to offer. Ed and Deb's personal goal is to help promote vineyards on Pritchard Hill as the most respected in the valley.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.