Wine of the Week: Brancott Estate 2011 Pinot Noir

Consumers don't need—or want—centralized gatekeepers telling them what they should or shouldn't drink. David White 

According to Mr. White, if you believe his statement, none of you should be reading this review. But according to my own tracking numbers, there's is at least 5 or 6 vino-sapiens out there reading [well let's just say perusing] this blog. So to Mr. White and everyone else reading this, I say "Kia-Ora!"

Now to the reason, I'm featuring the Pinot Noir as my Wine of the Week, well it's simple really. It's because, for the price point, a wine of this quality will be hard to beat. It's no blockbuster, but it's not meant to be. This wine is, however, the answer to the question about which wine to uncork on a perhaps oh-so nothing special Tuesday evening. 

This wine even saves you need of a cork-screw because it comes sealed via a drink-now and drink-often screw-cap. And for an easy quaffer like that, it makes for the perfect convenience factor. This is a pop and pour wine selling for an SRP of $10 to $12 most places leaves little to think about when wondering whether to stock up or not. 

If you'd like to know more about this wine, the winery and the great folks behind the label, then I would invite you to drop by the brilliant Brancott Estate website. From the map located on the back label, you can quickly get a quick glimpse of where the grapes come from and just how far this wine traveled before finding its way to a wine-store shelf near you. 

“Wines from New Zealand, and in particular wines from Marlborough, will always be a rare commodity,” Ollie Davidson.

You can also whip out your smart-phone, scan the QR code to be easily transported to unlocking more fun facts about the wine you're drinking. Btw, for anyone who may be keeping score, this bottle was sent as a sample. 

Now for the tasting note part of the article, I know, I know just hold onto your horses here it's. But again remember Mr. White's dire warning you don't need me or anyone else telling you what to drink. So without telling you, I'm telling you to drink this, you won't be disappointed. That's of course if you have reasonable expectations.  

Now that said, once I got the bottle opened via a quick flick-of-the-wrist, poured a few ounces, I immediately noticed the bright [but very lightly colored] cherry, raspberry core. On the nose, a light perfume of crisp summer fruits, strawberries, cherries and cranberries dancing around, black-tea and fertile earth. Taking out my deluxe tasting straw from a recent boxed-wine, I sampled this delightful Pinot Noir.

Again a gentle, light current of fresh summer fruit washed over my palate, inviting the next slurp. The baskets of ripe strawberries, raspberries, cherries and a note of cola delighted me again and again. The right tannin and acid balance played nicely with fruit, making for a fun Tuesday evening wine experience, paired with the roasted chicken, herbed potatoes, and steamed broccoli. My score for this wine is 88 points. 

For anyone thinking about this years coming harvest in New Zealand; there's quite a bit of "buzz" how amazing it potentially will be. The only problem as they see it; is that the continued consumer demand for New Zealand wines continues to outpace supply. Something which could possibly raise the cost of acquiring the 2013 vintage. 

“There’s a lot of speculation that the 2013 vintage possibly being dry and the sunny growing season will result in the vintage of the century here in New Zealand because we haven't seen a weather pattern like this in 70 years,” ~ Darryl Woolley.

Now, on the other hand, is a Sauvignon Blanc [see above] from the same producer and yes a sample like the other. Many of you know, I'm not a fan of aggressive styles of Sauvignon Blanc, this one, in my opinion, could be this year's poster-boy. But the year is still young, and there are still many other candidates I'll be considering. 

If you're a fan of big, new-cut grass, lemon/lime/grapefruit and varying degrees of sweet ripe to over-ripe tropical fruits, then this just may be the wine for you. Putting my nose in the glass was terrible enough, but giving it a slurp or two was very off-putting for me. I just can't get past the level of perceptible sweetness either, or the odd bell-pepper thing in the background. These are the types of aromas and flavors which send me running (scrambling really) for an excellent Sancerre. 

I know some you folks love this style of Sauvignon blanc, but this vino-sapien wants no part of it. Thankfully there's a vast wine world, and we all have many different wines to choose from; unfortunately, this is not a bottle of wine I can recommend. My score 83 points. It sells for an SPR of $10 most places. 

Now one last quote to put the entire wine industry of New Zealand in a clear, bright, easily understandable light. 

"To put things in perspective, New Zealand’s total vineyard acreage—North and South Islands combined—is less than a tenth of the acreage planted in California, and just a bit more than the vineyard acreage in California’s Sonoma County." ~ Darryl Woolley

Rock on New Zealand, who says great things don't come in small packages? Just knowing that one small factoid, at least in my book, makes me appreciate NZ all the more. There are so many different wine/vine growing regions found around the world, and this is one I can't wait to visit for myself someday, it's definitely a destination which on my bucket list. Perhaps I'll even find a Sauvignon Blanc to my liking until then folks remember life is short. So sip long and prosper cheers!