Spotlight: Winemaker Fred Brander
Dreaming of a Blanc Christmas

by Gabe Saglie
Gabe@WineandDineSB.com

It’s as young as wines come. For the last few years, Fred Brander has been putting out an Early Release Sauvignon Blanc, meaning that mere weeks after the grapes have been plucked from the vine, the wine they produce is out on the shelves. “I think of it as an indicator of what the harvest is going to be all about,” the pioneer vintner says.

A blend of grapes from Brander’s own Los Olivos estate and 10 other Santa Ynez Valley vineyards, this very young wine really is a barometer of the year’s crop. The 2006 edition of this wine, ideally released in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, has “a lot of body, crisp acidity and fresh fruit character,” the winemaker says.

With this early-release blend done, of course, Brander’s work has just begun.

Brander’s portfolio features nearly a dozen wines, including some of the best red Bordeaux wines in the area. But there’s no denying Brander’s love affair with sauvignon blanc. These days, the Early Release is one of six unique bottlings featuring this versatile white grape. The Au Naturel is, for many, the batch’s cream of the crop; clean and steely. The Cuvée Nicolas, named after his son, is tropical and full-bodied, while the Cuvée Natalie, for his daughter, is made to be floral and crisp. Recently, Brander added two more wines to his sauvignon blanc lineup: a vineyard-designate featuring grapes from the famed Purisima Mountain Vineyard and Uno Mas, a citrus-kissed sauvignon blanc-grenache blanc blend.

Brander’s affair with sauvignon blanc began with his very first bottling in 1977. Back then, “it was still in the shadows of the noble four: reisling, chardonnay, pinot and cabernet,” he recalls. “But for me, sauvignon blanc was the role model for expression. Whether it’s blended or unblended, oaked or unoaked, sauvignon blanc shows personality the way most other grapes can’t. My focus is to find the different individual expressions of the grape.”

That versatility is also reflected in its compatibility with food, Brander says. “A pure, lean, acidic sauvignon blanc is the perfect foil for shellfish and oysters; a creamier, barrel fermented sauvignon blanc can go with cream sauces and meats like pork.”

Brander has hung his hat on this grape even when others disregarded it. Today, the tide has turned; sauvignon blanc is one of the most popular white wines out there; and experts are labeling Brander the "Sauvignon Blanc King". But his genuine affections toward one grape keep bringing Brander back to the vineyard and crediting better growing techniques for sauvignon blanc’s rising popularity in California. “It’s about better canopy management that eliminates the herbaceous flavors people used to complain about, creating more fruit-driven wines people like.”

Something's Fishy: The 11th Brander Bouillabaisse Festival

by Bob Dickey
Bob@WineandDineSB.com

One of the most exciting wine & food events in California is the Brander Bouillabaisse Festival. The longtime Los Olivos winemaker personally invites 20 restaurants to compete in one of three divisions: best classic Bouillabaisse, best Ciopinno and best Open Fish Stew (which this year included Asian influences as well as European.)

Local wineries also pour their Rosé—the traditional blush wine match for Bouillabaisse—and another of their wines, if they wish. The event benefits a local charity.

The winning restaurants get an award and the chance to put “Winner” on their menu. But the true winners are the guests, who get dibs on unlimited samplings of fabulous wine and Southern France’s most famous soup. A trés bon way to spend an afternoon.