Bryant Family Vineyards is set to expand production as soon as suitable Napa vineland can be found.
The winery is one of Napa’s foremost cult producers. The release price of the Cabernet Sauvignon is around US€210 per bottle with older vintages fetching up to US$7000 per case at auction.
Robert Parker called the 1994 ‘a potentially perfect wine [which] should evolve into one of California’s legendary Cabernets.’
Proprietor Don Bryant, who is based in St Louis, Missouri, and his winemaker Philippe Melka are negotiating for around 4ha in an undisclosed location in Napa.
‘We have a winery with capacity for 3,500 cases,’ Bryant told decanter.com. ‘Our current vineyards produce 2,200, so we need another six or seven acres.’
Bryant said he and Melka were on the point of buying ‘a very substantial and potentially great vineayard.’
He said Napa vineland was still expensive and difficult to get hold of. ‘If anyone has a vineyard, please call me,’ he added.
Bryant intends to up production as soon as possible, but preferably for the 2006 vintage.
‘I’d like to be able to send to London and France, but I haven’t got the capacity. I could sell 10,000 cases a year if I had them.’
Bryant Family used to be made by well-known Napa consultant Helen Turley, who in March 2004 won a long-running breach of contract case brough
Written by Adam Lechmere
