http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/new-zealand/amazed-by-the-2014-brancott-sauvignon-blanc-and-why-you-should-drink-it-young

80 off me. It's just acid with MSB style flavouring. At the same money the equally acidic Explorer's at the Co-Op thrashes this.

Jamie Goode's score of 92 does appear to be generous; bargain booze, or otherwise. We should shrug it off, if he is measuring the quality of this wine against SB from the rest of the World. However 92 points measured against the rest of Marlborough, Martinborough, or Nelson, and the score is completely over the top.

JG is much younger than some of us, and could possibly be prone to impressionable events (he says not so), the media and fashion, and not least, the recommended retail price of this product, which actually, is usually more than £6.99. Perhaps he believes this Brancott basic is text book MSB, which we think, has slightly deteriorated in the pursuit of volume and profit, and out of climat vineyards. Ok, my opinion is also tempered by QPR, yet a score of 92 is implausible, overly generous, and probably questionable? Our judgement, Mr Goose's in particular, is based on a decade of tasting across a whole range of MSB styles, whilst JG does a huge range of world wide tasting.

An implausible score, and reactions from SB drinkers in my home:
When I serve VM Taylors Pass, Saint Clair Pioneer block, or top notch Astrolabe, the wow factor is an audible humming amongst friends and relatives who are staying for dinner. They are generally used to, and may have picked up the basic Brancott Est with their usual weekly shop. They know what the basic BE '12, '13 and '14 is all about.

This audible wow factor is worth a whole lot more than say 4 or 5 points, and therefore JG's score could not be perceived as a rational, nor a linear increment of pleasure, enjoyment and complexity!

Sorry JG.

_________________
Duncan

BTW Mr Goose, I'm sorry that you could not score the Sains double offer on the VM Clifford Bay 2013.

The wine is nearly delicious, not quite ready actually. This vintage is more almond green gold than usual, less lemon grass and more passion fruit than the 2012. I'm not perceiving tomato leaf, the nose is sweeter than the wine, and contains the mango aroma. More time is required for that Mango to appear in the flavour - Hopefully.

This VMCBr may appeal to you, but it is rather concentrated at the mo, and I know you love the Saint Clair Pioneer and Oh! Block, that has more purity, minerality and subtle stone fruits than this.

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Duncan