Although I often say that Chilean sauvignon blanc is my favorite, New Zealand is right up there too. And, to cut to the chase, this Brancott sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand totally kicks ass.
Those who know me, know that I’m always critical of myself. I constantly question my performance at work, play, or whatever I do, which motivates me to study more, practice more and employ rigorous processes around everything that I do. Some might consider this to be neurotic, but knowing about the Dunning-Kruger effect, I consider self doubt to be a good thing.
I mention all that to say that my self doubt also comes into play when I’m reviewing wines. I spend a good 15-20 minutes per wine when I’m taking tasting notes to be sure that I’m doing justice to the wines. And when I taste a really good or really bad one, I come back to try it again later to make sure that I wasn’t just having a fluke moment with my palate. Yet, with all this self doubt I do have some validating moments that reassure me that I’m doing things right — or at least consistent with others — and reviewing this wine was one of those moments.
I first tasted this wine as a part of a blind tasting and it instantly stood out to me as an outstanding wine. I ended up giving it 91 points. I shared it with some colleagues the next day, along with a few other wines, and I told them that this one was exceptional. I didn’t even realize until a few moments ago, when I sat down to write up this post, that this wine was #28 on Wine Spectator’s top 100 list from last year. They gave it a 92. I’m glad to see that we’re aligned on this one and it does give me some validation to see that my rating is pretty consistent with one of the established “authorities” on wine.
The price of this wine might be toward the top end of the price range for bargain hunters, but it might be worth a few extra bucks if you’re into sauvignon blanc.
This wine screams “New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc” with intense grassy and tropical fruit aromas. The acidity is outstanding, giving this wine a brightness on the tongue. I know that may sound weird, but it’s the best way to describe it. Pineapple, grapefruit, mango and melon flavors explode in your mouth and last for minutes on the finish. The intensity and concentration from this wine is incredible. This is an exceptional sauvignon blanc.
Wine: Brancott Reserve
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 91
Price: $19.00
Find Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc with Snooth
Here’s what others thought of the this wine:
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.