The Brander Vineyard in the Press

Grapes aren’t the only thing in the press at Brander. Sometimes it’s a much anticipated release of a special wine, a mention of the wines in the wine magazines or at other times a bit of news about the people or happenings at the winery.

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California's Top Sauvignon Blancs

Brander Vineyard was names as one of "three California vineyards that reliably produce sold SB fruit year in and year out"

"In any given vintage, Au Naturel vies with Cuvée Nicholas for top honors. Both are made with free-run juice. Au Naturel is extraordinarily complex, testimony to the greatness of the estate's terroir. If the grapes are employed in Nicholas, with the added luxury of oak and lees, the result is one of California's most consistently great Sauvignon Blancs."

Points for Brander

Sauvignon Blanc Cuvée Nicholas 2009
Wonderfully rich and fragrant, with lemon curd, apricot marmalade and sweet pea notes, with hints of smoke that expand on the finish. To balance all the richness, a wonderfully bright, crisp acidity runs through the backbone. 91 points

Sauvignon Blanc Mesa Verde 2009
Fragrant and bold, delivering Key lime pie, passion fruit and papaya flavors that are refreshing and persistant on the finish.

The Brander Vineyard was featured in the Central Coast issue of Steven Tanzer's International Wine Review:

Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve Santa Ynez Valley 2006
Deep ruby. Pungent aromas of red- and blackcurrant, dark cherry, anise and herbs, with a hint of mocha gaining power with air. Peppery red and dark berry and bitter cherry flavors are sweetened by vanillin oak and framed by dusty tannins. This is wound pretty tight today and needs aeration but it packs solid punch and finishes juicy, focused and very long. 90 points

Sauvignon Blanc Mesa Verde Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley 2008
Light yellow. Pink grapefruit and lime on the nose, with notes of chamomile, herbs and pear skin adding complexity. Juicy but rather taut, with ripe citrus and orchard fruit flavors and slow-building spiciness. This nicely concentrated but very young wine gained sweetness and power with aeration. 89 points

Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley 2008
Very pale yellow. Pungent aromas of grapefruit, lime and white flowers, plus a hint of green cardamom. Pliant citrus and orchard fruit flavors become sweeter with air and pick up a juicy melon quality. Finishes slightly warm, with good cling and length. 87 points

Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Ynez Valley 2007
Ruby-red. Cherry and cassis on the nose, with notes of cracked pepper and dried flowers adding complexity. Juicy and a touch sweet, offering cherry-vanilla and dark berry flavors and showing no rough edges or tannins. Finishes plush and slightly candied, with the vanilla note repeating. 87 points

Top 100 Wines 2009

The San Francisco Chronicle included Brander Au Naturel Sauvignon Blanc in its Top 100 Wines.

This Central Coast specialist in Sauvignon Blanc left juice on the skins for 24 hours and then aged it in stainless steel. That made this deliciously textural and reminiscent of grapefruit skin, with lean peach flavors.

"That's something you don't find too much in California, at least. A lot of people avoid skin contact because you can get bitterness. With our grapes it works well." — Fred Brander on how he gets extra texture and aromas by soaking the grape skins for his Au Naturel Sauvignon Blanc

THE BRANDER VINEYARDS SCHOLARSHIP
Allan Hancock Community College

Congratulations to Angela T. Soleno-Pedersen & Zachary A. Zybura
These annual scholarships are provided by the Brander family to support students majoring in Enology and/or Viticulture.

90 Points!

Brander 2008 Santa Ynez Valley Mesa Verde Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
This emphasizes freshness in its fruit expression, from the scents of pear and citrus to the mouthwatering acidity. It feels spicy and full, with a broad, sandy texture and concentrated flavors of ripe melon. It would match the oily richness of a Vietnamese-style whole fried fish.

WINE OF THE WEEK: 2008 Brander Sauvignon Blanc
Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times

Hail the 32nd vintage(!) of Brander Sauvignon Blanc. Made from fruit grown in the Los Olivos area, the 2008, like all the vintages before it, is a summer classic. Crisp and minerally with a touch of grapefruit rind and grass in the perfume, this is a California Sauvignon Blanc that's closer to Sancerre than some of the overly oaked fruit bombs around. And at under $15 -- sometimes well under, it's a basic for warm-weather drinking.

Owner and winemaker C. Frederic Brander produces a couple of other more expensive Sauvignon Blanc cuvees, such as the more intense "Cuvée Nicolas" aged sur lie in barrels, half of them new French oak, which imparts a pronounced flavor. Funny thing, though, I much prefer the regular bottling for its pure fruit flavors.

2007 Cuvée Nicolas Sauvignon Blanc: 92 Points
Just beautiful, a crisp wine of authoritative structure that brilliantly shows off the ripeness of its fruit. Waves of Meyer lemon purée, Key lime pie, white peach, tangerine and spice flavors wash over the palate and last for a long, rich finish. Drink this bone-dry wine now. Editors Choice

2007 Au Naturel Sauvignon Blanc: 91 points
This is the winery's unoaked version of Sauvignon Blanc, and it's never been anything less than exciting. The '07 shows the titillating acidity of this cool vintage, with full ripe flavors of limes, golden mangoes, peaches, green apples and vanilla custard. Just beautiful.

2007 Uno Mas
This unusual blend has been a hit forBrander since its inception. The '07 is a rich wine, with high acidity and exotic tropical fruit, cherry, honey, vanilla cookie and spice flavors.

American Wine Awards 2008: Best Wines for Under $20

2007 Brander Santa Ynez Valley
This Santa Barbara County winery is a rare breed in California: a Sauvignon Blanc specialist. Brander’s emphasis on the grape pays off in the 31st bottling of its entry-level wine—vibrant and dry, with melony fruit and grassy, herbal nuances.

Recommended Sauvignon Blancs from California
BRANDER Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley 2007
Vibrant and juicy, with tasty lemon-lime, herb, mineral and spicy Asian pear notes that persist on the finish.

New Releases: California
BRANDER Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley Purisma Mountain 2007
Vibrant Key lime pie, papaya and pea blossom notes sail along a mouthwatering acidity, light on its feet and very refreshing.

Brander Cuvée Natalie Santa Ynez Valley 2007
Ripe peach, melon and lemonade flavors take on a pleasant candied note, with a floral overtone and juicy acidity. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.

Best of Class, 2008

The Brander Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 won Best of Class in this year's Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition.

July 2008

Brander 2006 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley)
Dry, tannic and ripe, this Syrah has rewarding blackberry, currant, black rasberry, date, chocolate and pepper flavors that are deep and long in the finish. Its a savory, polished wine, with quite a bit of elegance and sophistication.

April 2008

Best American Wines $15 & Under: Sauvignon Blanc
Fred Brander has been specializing in Sauvignon Blanc for three decades, making him one of the pioneering winemakers in California’s Santa Ynez Valley. Brander makes several terrific higher-end Sauvignon Blanc cuvées, but this spicy basic bottling—to which he adds a portion of Pinot Blanc and Riesling for complexity—gives a fine idea of his style.

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