2015 Bettina

The 2015 Bettina is typically based on a core of fruit from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch, but in this vintage winemaker Marc Gagnon opted to blend in a considerable amount of fruit from Abreu's Las Posadas Howell Mountain vineyard for added freshness. Powerful and intense in all of its dimensions, the 2015 is both immediate and also quite resonant in its depth. Super-ripe black cherry, torrefaction, espresso, menthol, licorice and dark spice notes infuse this heady, flamboyant wine from Bryant.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Bettina Bryant Proprietary Red Wine has ripe black berry, black plums and black pepper notes over earthy/loam and forest floor nuances. Medium to full-bodied with a pleasantly earthy restraint in the mouth, it has a solid frame of chewy tannins and good length. This was tasted as a barrel sample.

Today, the 2015 Bettina appears more affected by the extremes of the vintage than the Estate. Dark cherry, mocha, espresso and roasted notes are the signatures in the 2015. It will be interesting to see how the 2015 Bettina develops over the next year, but today it clearly reflects the extreme heat and ripeness of the growing season.