DB4 Napa Valley Red Blend

We opened this the 2017 Bryant Family DB4 Red Wine Blend. This is from St. Helena, California Napa Valley. Blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.

On the nose is black cherry, cherry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, herbaceous, brambles and forest floor.

On the palate is black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, herbaceous, pepper, vegetal, licorice and earth.

This wine is full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel medium + acidity and medium + firm grainy tannins that give you a long dark fruit earthy finish. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend and lets have a great week ahead. Please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷

Was really looking forward to this 2014 DB4 Red Wine Blend from the Bryant Family. Sadly unable to score due to being Corked (cardboard/wet newspaper). 😢 I even let it set overnight in hopes it would air out, nope. I have a few more and hopefully these will be alright.

I get a lot of heat here, both on the nose, which delivers an explosion of chambord and stewed cherries, and in the mouth with its heavy syrupy Vick’s cherry cough drop flavors and clipped warm stinging finish. This is an agitated hottie right now. Too much of too much. I respect a big wine, but I appreciate when I can look past the muscle and appreciate the dexterity and heart. This is all baby rattlesnake at present—biting indiscriminately. I hope it matures and smooths out the rough edges in it’s teens. I wouldn’t touch for 5 years but I’m not confident of improvement based on what I see right now.

DAY 2 UPDATE: after being open for 24 hours the heat has subsided substantially but it still exists. Softer edges now and the finish is markedly longer and fuller. I’ve bumped my score 3 points. I still say hold but if you open audoze in the morning and decant 2 hours before consumption.

First wine at 150 Central Park aboard the Harmony of the Seas. Given a hefty decant, so far seven hours. Dark purplish ruby red. A bit restrained on the nose with dark spices, cinnamon, blackberries, cassis and a little floral. Heavy tannins (8/10) and full bodied. Layered palate with raspberries, blueberries, dark crushed gravel, espresso and lilacs. Insanely long finish and this is a baby that needs some time. Drink till 2036.

A few days late in posting wines from the Wine Thief dinner last weekend. A nice selection of wines, most of which I’d never had before.

I think this ended up being my WOTN, though the Altagracia was right there with it. First time having a Bryant wine. So well polished and harmonious. No one thing stood out in this wine. In the words of @Mike R , this is a “smile wine”. Both powerful fruits alongside elegant flower and herbal/spices. 👌

Way way different wine than the bryant flagship wine i tasted tonight. Very different vintages as well. One obstreperous and one forgiving. However, i must say this wine nods toward the old school with its intense pyrazines and red fruit oriented character. A considerable earth tone that is consistent through the nose. A forest scent. This had chambord like deep raspberry aromas with hibiscus and dark strawberries with blackcurrant in the background. Magnificent oak integration. This wine was hard to rate behind their flagship 12 which had gained such praise but the complexity and finish of the 12 in such youth is a tad more compelling.

So good!!! I like Bryant at their DB4 from 2010 is a stunner. It has terrific vibrancy and both power and complexity with a melding of dark fruits and a touch of anise. This is a reminder of why Napa Cabs can be so delicious.

Deep ruby core with a slight garnet edge. Dark blue fruits and a touch savory on the nose. Layers for dark flowers and anise too. Well rounded and integrated on the palate with moderate tannins (6.5/10). Full bodied with layers of cinnamon, blue fruits and black fruits on the palate. Long and lingering finish. Would be nice to try with a couple hours in the decanter. Drink till 2025.

Deep and chewy with nice cocoa and big very smooth fruit

Very primary! Wanted to try one but it was still so closed after 90 minutes in the decanter. Started to open a little 2.5 hours in but it's just not ready. I can't judge it at this point.