The first time I had a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I was living in the Sausalito, California basement of a friend and fellow journalist from my native South Side Chicago and sleeping on one of his newly-college-enrolled daughter’s bunk beds. It was the mid-70s and I had just moved to California to start a job at a local television station, and my friend had decided to introduce me to New Zealand wine over dinner that evening.
Later, a salesman friend of his showed up who had just landed a contract to sell New Zealand wine to California wine shops. This, of course, was the very embodiment of the term ‘fool’s errand’ as California had just begun establishing a name for itself as a producer of fine wine.
Once I tasted the wine he brought, a New Zealand Sauvignon BIanc from Marlborough, I was blown away. It had a brightness and richness of flavor that I had never experienced. It also went quite well with the dinner of Dungeness crab and Petrale Sole my friend, and I had purchased from the local fishmonger at Golden Gate Market. (It’s still there, by the way, at the corner of Richardson and Bridgeway if you happen to catch the tourist ferry from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco to Sausalito. They have a terrific selection of cheeses and salami, and of course, seafood.)
My recent encounter with the newest vintage Brancott Estate Marlborough 2023 Sauvignon Blanc ($12) brought that experience from my halcyon days in the Bar Area to mind.
The Marlborough region is at the very top of New Zealand’s South Island. The area is synonymous with a single grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc, a white grape with origins in western France. It is most often found in that country’s Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume wines of the Loire Valley and white blends of Bordeaux. I digress.
Sweet tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, passion fruit and ripe honeydew melon and zesty lemon all combine to create a delightful sensation in your mouth when you drink Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc. All your favorite fruits, vegetables and cheeses pair perfectly with it.
Shrimp or a side of salmon hot off the grill is perfect with this wine.
My favorite pairing is a San Francisco throwback dish, Cioppino, a hearty fish stew originated by Italian immigrant fishermen during the Gold Rush era. They had found a novel use for leftovers from the catch of the day. It remains one of the mainstays at restaurants on San Francisco’s famed Fisherman’s Wharf. (Sabella’s has the best!).
The dish calls for tomatoes, fresh oregano, white wine (s bit of the Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc perhaps?), copious amounts of fresh Dungeness crab legs, Shrimp (called Prawns in S.F.), fresh clams and their juice and gobs of flaky white fish (the aforementioned Petrale, Dover Sole, Halibut, Branzino or any other white fish will do). Pair it with a loaf of crusty Sourdough or French bread and Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and you have the perfect meal.
My grandmother’s Lemon Meringue Pie recipe worked just fine as dessert. (Yes, I was drinking the Brancott wine while making the pie, so the crust was overdone just a tad!)
Some Lemon Sorbet and a few fresh berries with whipped cream will also do if you’re feeling lazy. After a dinner complete with Brancott Estate Marlborough 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, you might not want to exert yourself more than simply bending an elbow to lift a glass to your lips for just one more sip. Drink Responsibly.
