Winemaker Notes
Pair this with raw oysters or Thai green chicken curry.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Made from all free-run juice with no oak, this wine by 40-year veteran Frederic Brander shows candied lemon and lime peels on the approachable, inviting nose, along with fresh-cut apples and a growing passionfruit perfume. The passionfruit tang also shows on the palate alongside ripe limes and a lingering grassy note, held together by grippy acidity and pithy texture.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
A true wine lover's wine, you will not find the 2015 Brander Sauvignon Blanc in the hands of those who simply want neutral, soft or sugary white wines. This wine is as distinctive as they come. Offering dried herbs, ripe melon and exotic lemongrass, the flavors show some of the best known characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine's rich finish makes it a perfect match with slightly spicy Asian dishes. Drinking well now.. (Tasted: July 12, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine & Spirits
At first this seems tight, peppery and searingly dry, but its crisp jalapeno greenness is tempered by the fruit's implicit richness, which calms the raspy edges of its acidity. The tone of the fruit is pale and harmonious in the end, with a gentle scent of elderflower. Open this with a plate of sweet raw littlenecks.
Best Buy.
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.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.