There’s a sweetness of fruit from the very first taste – and a dash of confection – before the brisk acidity is introduced along with a metallic note. Warm and dry conditions through December and cooler weather from January onwards allowed for more steady ripening.
A long, saline finish. Defining a new Pinot Noir place Cloudy Bay’s evocative distillation of the most extreme southerly and continental Pinot Noir terroir of Central Otago. “We don’t chase thiols, we could but we don’t. There’s a sweetness of fruit from the very first taste – and a dash of confection – before the brisk acidity is introduced along with a metallic note.
5-10% was fermented in large 15-year-old oak to add texture, the rest saw stainless steel throughout.‘Less is more’ for Sorrell when it comes to dealing with thiols, that oh-so divisive Sauvignon component. The fruit is lost a little on the mid-palate (still a little shy perhaps) but comes cascading back with lime and green apple alongside elderflower and a slight white pepper note. Fermentation was carried out primarily in stainless steel tanks, with approximately 7% of the blend fermented at warmer temperatures in old French oak barriques and large format vats. “Firstly we don’t pick safe, we look for that nervous quality,” he says. I believe that if, like us, you are striving to make quality wines then you are always going to have the market – Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is one of the iconic white wines of the world.”So how is he practising what he preaches when it comes to Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc? 2019 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc [contact 03330 148 202], Marlborough, White, New Zealand, 75cl, Case of 6 : Case of 6 Btls $ 120.93 $ 20.15 / 750ml in-bond, ex. Te Wahi. As the winery celebrates its 35th anniversary Chris Wilson met up with Sorrell to taste the new vintage Cloudy Bay 2019, where he also found out what made 2019 a nerve-wracking season, why Sorrell thinks Cloudy Bay has become one of the iconic white wines of the world, how the estate is seeking a ‘nervous’ quality in the wine and how it is trying to avoid the thiol-heavy style that seems to be going out of fashion.Sorrell and Cloudy Bay technical director Jim White describe 2019 as a ‘classic’ vintage. “It has everything we chase for in terms of character and flavour profile,” says Sorrell, “intensity, elegance, tension and acidity.”Limpid with a pale yellow hue, the nose is undeniably punchy with bright and intense characters of jasmine, candle wax, gooseberry and ripe Mirabelle plum.
taxes Go to Shop Cloudy Bay was established in 1985 by David Hohnen, a pioneer and visionary, who was convinced of New Zealand wines' great potential.