The other day I had a rather interesting delivery arrive at my door.
Once I’d signed my life over to the small man in my hallway, I scrambled back to my room to unveil what it was.
It was most certainly unusual. Inside its brown box packaging was a bottle covered in green tissue with the following sign:
Hmmm...curiosity you say?
I quickly pulled off the tag and paper, excited by this declaration of curiosity, only to find this:
My favourite wine? That could be a long list...
This was suddenly getting interesting. An alcoholic version of Russian dolls! But what came next??
How exciting!
The bottle of Brancott Estate bubbly was well hidden and after all that effort I was eager to pop it open and give it a go.
So what was the sparkling stuff like?
The Kiwi company bills it as: “New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but not as you know it.”
On first taste, it was most certainly Sauvignon Blanc. It was crisp and refreshing, with sweet pineapple, kiwi and grapefruit notes. But, it was the kick of the slight dryness from the bubbles which was the real treat. This helped tone down the sweetness without taking it away. It wasn’t quite a Brut but near to it, and you could imagine summer picnics with this as a feature to go along with a white fish done on the BBQ and served in a pineapple salsa.
The only thing I thought was: will people who love bubbly, love this? It definitely adds a nice sparkle for a special occasion or gathering of friends, but it may not be for everyone, especially those who love a really dry Champagne.
If you like a good Sauvignon Blanc, however, this might just be right up your street on those days when you want a bit more pizazz on your tongue.
I’m definitely glad Brancott Estate hooked onto the curiosity factor and asked: just what would happen if we added bubbles to our regular offering? It’s definitely tasty and a Gwilty indulgence all around!
The Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc Brut NV is now available at Morrisons, Tesco Wine, and Majestic, retailing at £12.99.
gwiltypleasures 
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