A Toast to the Brancott Estate Reserve Range

Made from specially reserved vines, the Brancott Estate Reserve Range of wines are the ideal accompaniment to your next celebration, no matter how big or small.

How many toasts will you enjoy in your lifetime? Hundreds? Thousands? No matter the number, each one is a special moment worth celebrating. Each has its own significance in our lives, whether it’s to health, happiness or family. And the memories we take from those moments will stay with us forever.

Without that familiar clinking of glasses though, the moment just wouldn’t feel the same, would it? In the same vein, the drink that follows it has an important role to play, because when the moment calls for it, only the best will do. And that is what Brancott Estate’s Reserve Range embodies. A wine worthy of celebration.

The Brancott Estate Reserve Range

Launched earlier this year, Brancott Estate’s Reserve Range of wines are made from specially reserved vines. Because of the reserved vines Brancott Estate says these wines are created for special moments of celebration - both big and small.

When asked about what exactly makes the range so special, Brancott Estate Winemaker Laura-Kate Morgan said “This range explores the unique land and climate of Marlborough’s Wairau and Awatere Valleys as well as Hawkes Bay. For us, the ethos behind the wine is the combination of unique soil, climate and all of our people woven together.”

What has come out of that ethos are five exceptional varietals: Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Key to all the varieties though is the growing regions that the grapes are sourced from. These regions or terroir, which Laura-Kate explains as the combination of soil, climate and sunlight, gives the wines their distinctive character.

Marlborough in particular, she says “is home to distinctive characteristics that drives our unique and expressive wines. Being situated at the top of the South Island, Marlborough experiences maritime climates and high UV light that fosters the growth of the crop.”

She adds that our climate's warm days and cooler nights (Diurnal temperature) produce lovely balanced grapes “This plays a hand in the concentration and intensity of the wine, while still allowing it to retain its acidity. This allows us to have the perfect combination for several varieties within the Brancott Portfolio.”

It wasn’t that long ago, however, that Marlborough’s potential as a wine growing region was dismissed “Convention said Marlborough was only good for sheep farming. But with a little bit of Kiwi ingenuity, we flipped that thinking and started Brancott Estate." Laura-Kate explained.

As it has for decades now, Marlborough’s diverse climate has contributed strongly to the distinct character of the Brancott Estate Reserve Range, making each variety suitable for celebrating an array of different moments and occasions.

Reserve Range Pinot Noir

The Reserve Range Pinot Noir, which is harvested from the Awatere vineyards, famous for producing intense, red-fruited Pinot Noir, is a versatile choice for a family dinner or BBQ. It has a deep ruby hue with an abundance of black and red fruit aromas, followed by toasty oak notes. Its medium-bodied palate makes it light enough to be enjoyed with chicken, but it also has beautiful complexity to complement richer red or game meats.

Keep a bottle handy at the dinner table and pair it with slow smoked meats and earthy vegetables to savour both the flavours and the intimacy of the moment. If unexpected guests drop by, offer them a glass of Reserve Pinot Noir alongside a platter of brie and crackers. There’s nothing better to capture those little moments together.

Reserve Range Chardonnay

The grapes of Brancott Estate’s Reserve Chardonnay are sourced from their Hawke’s Bay vineyards. Around two-thirds of these come from sites by the coast, predominantly focused around the lower reaches of the Tuki Tuki River. The combination of cooling afternoon sea breezes and limestone influence of the soil brings a degree of minerality to wines grown in this area, while the fruit spectrum leans towards citrus and nectarine. Laura-Kate says the texture and complexity brought about by these components are key to a good Chardonnay.

As our Editor Sarah Tuck puts it, this Chardonnay is perfect for catching up with a few girlfriends after work or celebrating those little victories that get you through the week. Maybe you finally got a few projects across the line at work, whatever it is, this Chardonnay is cause for celebration.

Of course, it’s worthy of those bigger moments too. Christmas is a perfect time to embrace the sweetness of the Chardonnay at the dinner table alongside your traditional turkey or other white meats. Family and friends alike will appreciate its fruity character on those beautiful summer days.

Reserve Range Rosé

Perhaps the most versatile of all the Brancott Estate Reserve Range wines, however, is the rosé. The fruit for this wine comes from selected blocks in the Brancott and Kaituna vineyards, in the heart of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. Plenty of sunshine and cool nights keep acids fresh and fruit aromas vibrant.

Just as Marlborough was once only considered good for sheep farming, rosé has undergone a remarkable transformation and become a popular variety that is enjoyed year-round. As Laura-Kate puts it “Rosé is the beer of the wine, it’s easy to drink for any occasion, anywhere.”

The Reserve rosé is undeniably easy to drink with its bright aromas of red fruits which lead on to a lively, medium-bodied palate, packed with flavours of red cherries, strawberries and cranberries with a hint of sweet almond blossom. Dry and refreshing, the wine has a lively finish of crisp red apples.

You could easily enjoy this wine at a backyard summer BBQ with food like lemony grilled chicken or pork and fennel sausages. A platter of crumbly white cheese shared among friends would certainly go down a treat as well.

No matter the occasion, however, this wine is fit-for-purpose. It’s dry and refreshing taste is something anyone would look froward to after work, with dinner or indeed, during a celebratory toast.

The Brancott Estate Reserve Range embodies the spirit of New Zealand’s most significant and celebrated wine region. Their originality, which has earned them worldwide acclaim ever since they first exported their Sauvignon Blanc in 1982, has led to higher and higher heights. And the Reserve Range is a celebration, not only of the region and its people, but of that long journey that will undoubtedly continue for decades to come.

Celebrate your next special occasion with a bottle of the Brancott Estate Reserve Range, available now at your local stockists and online.

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