A Wine for Tonight: 2011 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc



By Kori ~ May 24th, 2012.

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2011 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc from the famed Marlborough region of New Zealand.

Our selection criteria include:

  • A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
  • A price tag of <=$20
  • Must be widely available

Brancott Estate, located in Blenheim, New Zealand, was founded in 1934. Originally known as Montana Wines, Brancott Estate got its current name from Brancott Vineyard, which is its original Marlborough vineyard and home. In 1973, Brancott Vineyard was the site of the first Sauvignon Blanc plantings in Marlborough. Chief winemaker Patrick Materman joined Brancott Estate in 1990. Brancott is a founding member of New Zealand’s original sustainable winegrowing initiative established in 1995. Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. Brancott Estate has long been one of our favorite producers. We had the pleasure to visit the winery when we were in New Zealand in 2005.

Brancott Estate has embraced social media with their “Stay Curious” campaign. Their website is full of interesting information and is very easy to navigate, they interact with fans through their Facebook and Twitter pages, and they launched a smartphone app earlier this year. All newly packaged bottles in the Brancott Estate Classic still range, including this 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, feature a QR code by which consumers can download the “World’s Most Curious Bottle” app on their smartphone. Designed for both Apple and Android, it is a portal for entertainment as well as wine-focused education. It is well done and definitely worth checking out.

“It is immensely satisfying to taste this wine and see the essence of the grapes flavour as they tasted at harvest. A fantastically representative expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc fruit showing all it’s natural intensity.” –Patrick Materman, Chief Winemaker

2011 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale straw yellow in color. Aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and freshly cut grass on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $13


Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, New Zealand Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25

Reader's Comments

  1. Alex | May 24th, 2012 at 7:58 am

    Hello this is Alex from the wine forum http://www.winebasic101.com. Sauvignon Blanc is a great wine to drink especially in the summer during thoses hot days. Some foods that pair well with it are shellfish, pork, and chicken and some cheese like fontina. You can also get a good bottle for under $20 that is a quality wine.