Brander Sauvignon Blanc

The Brander Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2013: Few times are more exciting for wine lovers than the first releases of the past year’s harvest (which, at least in these parts, are almost exclusively white and pink), and this bottling from Santa Ynez pioneer Fred Brander, who started his family winery in 1975, boasts all of the elements to satisfy our cravings.

His 2013 sauv blanc is fresh on the nose, vivid on the tongue, and refreshing throughout, encapsulating what will go down as a historic harvest for both quality and quantity, a combination that hopefully means lower prices for better wines across the board. It’s delicate and only the palest of a yellow shade, but has the grassy, even cat pee elements typical of the grape, which this particular wine sources from all around the Los Olivos area.

See brander.com.