Brancott Estate is the brand adopted since 2010 by Pernod Ricard for New Zealand's largest wine producer, formerly Montana Wines, which now operates as the New Zealand division of Pernod Ricard Winemakers. The name comes from its Brancott winery in Blenheim, and was chosen to reduce confusion in the United States market with wines from the state of Montana.
The winery has been significant enough throughout New Zealand's wine history that the Montana name is still used on domestic labelling due to its strong brand recognition.[1]
History of Montana Wines
Montana was founded by Ivan and Amanda Yukich (Jukić), Croatian immigrants who planted their first vines in 1934, Titirangi (Scenic Drive, Titirangi), situated in the Waitākere Ranges west of Auckland. The first wine was sold in 1944, and by 1960 10 ha of vineyards were planted. Two of Ivan's son's, Mate and Frank, had become involved, and they set up the company Montana Wines in 1961. By the end of the 1960s, the company had expanded further, planting vines on land south of Auckland. In 1973, the company expanded into Gisborne and Marlborough and exported its first wines in 1980. Montana was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, initially as 'Corporate Investments Limited', and then as Montana Wines.