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. However, in the company of other top 2001s, it suffers. It has 15 or more years of life remaining, but I would opt for drinking it early on since it is difficult to say what might emerge in the aromatics.The Bryant Family Vineyard high on Pritchard Hill is one of the great terroirs of Napa and a number of wines produced from that site are among the legendary efforts made over the last two decades (the 1995, 1997, 2005 and 2007). The 2001 was made during a period of turmoil for proprietor Don Bryant, and was vinified and barrel-aged at the Napa Valley Cooperative. There was plenty of drama surrounding this vintage. Winemaker Helen Turley departed and was replaced by Philippe Melka, there were allegations of brett contamination in some of the barrels, and the wine was ultimately filtered (which no other vintage of Bryant Cabernet Sauvignon has had to endure).www.bryantwines.com