Remembering Don Bryant

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 21, 2025

The wine world lost a visionary when Donald L. Bryant Jr. passed away on March 1 at age 82 from natural causes. Bryant was a force to be reckoned with, someone who knew exactly what he wanted to achieve and a man of action who pursued his vision with extraordinary drive.

Don Bryant was born in Illinois, attended Denison University in Ohio and earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating in 1967. Shortly thereafter, he founded an asset management company in St. Louis and went on to build a significant business that pioneered a number of financial instruments that are now quite common.

By the late 1980s, Bryant had built the resources to pursue two other passions that would define much of his life’s work: art and wine. In his 50s, Bryant immersed himself in art history and began assembling a collection of artwork from reference-point artists. A major player in the fine arts, Bryant served as a trustee at numerous major institutions in New York, London and his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He supported the arts and education through philanthropic endeavors at several educational institutions in St. Louis.

Bryant loved wine, as evidenced by his personal collection of the great wines of the world, which he studied with meticulous attention. In 1988, Bryant purchased his striking property above Lake Hennessey in what is commonly referred to as Pritchard Hill. He replanted the site with Cabernet Sauvignon and employed modern viticultural practices. The first few vintages at Bryant Estate were rough, but by the mid-1990s, the wines were magnificent, propelling Bryant Estate into a vaunted position as one of Napa Valley’s first “cult” wineries. The greatness of the 1997 vintage was recognized at the time. Critic Stephen Tanzer compared the 1997 Bryant Family Cabernet to “a '47 Pomerol” and described it as “a monument in the making.” The 1997 wine was instrumental in charting the course for Napa Valley in the years that followed. Based on my recent tastings, wines from that era of dramatic change and innovation remain compelling to this day. They must have really been something when they were first released.

I first met Don Bryant around 2011. At the time, I was just beginning my career of reviewing Napa Valley wines professionally. I admit I was a bit nervous. Bryant had a reputation for being difficult. His well-publicized feud with Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer some years prior painted the picture of an extremely demanding proprietor. I had seen that before in other parts of the world, so it did not faze me all that much. Bryant had since been through a few well-known winemakers, which added to his mystique.

I found Don Bryant straightforward and down to earth. He truly loved his vineyard. How could he not? Its spectacular location provides stunning views of the surrounding areas. The site was clearly capable of yielding wines of true distinction. Bryant possessed formidable wealth and highly cultured tastes yet remained relatable and refreshingly candid, always with a wry sense of humor on display. His precise, pointed questions were evidence of a strong intellect that had no doubt driven his success. That friendly, engaging persona was not just an act put on for me, a critic reviewing his wines. Bryant was active in supporting his communities. “When I started my winery, Don gave me his entire mailing list and wished me luck,” a fellow vintner told me recently. I don’t think I need to explain what an exceptionally rare act of class and generosity that is in the ultra-competitive world of high-end California wine.

In the years that followed, I saw Bryant at the winery and around town from time to time, always with his wife, Bettina Sulser Bryant, at his side during a time when she brought increasing stability and consistency to the family winery. Don Bryant’s noticeable decline to Alzheimer’s disease was a reminder of how fragile life can be. It also reinforced my own personal view that time, health and family are the most precious assets of all, whereas money and material objects can come and go.

I will cherish the visits I had with Don Bryant when he was still fully vibrant, the advice he gave me, and the many jokes that peppered our conversations.

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