Winemaker Notes
The grapes for Brancott Vineyards Reserve Sauvignon Blanc are harvested predominantly from the Brancott Estate vineyard on the southeastern side of the Wairau Valley of Marlborough. The Wairau Valley is protected by mountain ranges to the north and west, and by the Kaikoura Mountains to the south. Brancott Estate is in a small side valley facing north which receives maximum sunshine. The soils of the vineyard are derived from glacial outwash material and can generally be described as silt loam overlying gravels and rocks. These soils are low in fertility and have a low water holding capacity. Viticultural practices applied in the vineyard assist in flavor development and include techniques such as specialized trellising, trimming of the vines and removal of leaves in the fruit zone to allow sunlight exposure.
"Has all the typical ingredients of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: tropical fruit, citrus flavors and herbal notes. What distinguishes this wine is that they're all in relative balance, with no single element dominating. It's simultaneously plump in the mouth, yet clean and refreshing on the finish."
-Wine Enthusiast
Professional Ratings
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.