Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Undeniably ripe and fleshy, with a pretty scent of cedary oak leading to a supple core of currant and red cherry flavors that are fine and persistent on the finish. Needs time to shed its fine-grained tannins. The flavors are long and persistent on the finish, though it shows simpler than it did from barrel.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The chunky-styled 2001 does not possess the charm, complexity or sweet, pure blueberry and black fruits found in Bryant’s wines since the early 1990s. It reveals a hint of new saddle leather, but the aromatics are largely restrained and need to be coaxed from the glass. The wine is full-bodied and concentrated, and by itself, is probably a better wine than my rating would suggest.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.