Sauvignon Blanc

Pair this with fresh and simply prepared seafood, steamed mussels with parsley and garlic, and Spanish Gazpacho.

Our vineyard crews had their work cut out for them this year. Budburst came early across the region, while the cold nights and frosts in September and October meant very early mornings for the crew. Fortunately, the frost protection we have on most of our vineyard sites kept the grape safe. Of course, Mother Nature rarely does things by halves. The challenging conditions continued: unsettled weather during the December flowering period meant good soil conditions, but significant reductions in crop levels. But while she can be stern, Mother Nature can be equally generous - even in the same season. The growing period for 2021 was a continuous thread of beautifully warm, dry conditions, which gave us very little disease pressure to worry about. And, as is often the case, the lower yields had a significant upside: fantastic fruit. The perfect temperatures meant that acid levels remained high, with the grapes developing their full flavour on the vine. The end result is a vintage of outstanding quality and a Sauvignon Blanc with the hallmarks of a future classic. The Sauvignon Blanc harvest began on 16th March, finishing on 30th March

Following the harvest, the free-run juice was cold settled, before racking and inoculation with selected yeast. Fermentation was carried out primarily in stainless steel tanks, with approximately 4% of the blend fermented at warmer temperatures in old French oak barriques and large format oak vats. As usual, our Sauvignon Blanc was blended stringently to include only the best; in 2021 the final blend comprises 87 different portions.

Cloudy Bay Vineyards established in 1985 is today a partnership between champagne house Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and co-founder of Cape Mentelle Vineyards in Western Australia David Hohnen. The Cloudy Bay team is committed to producing 'wines of region' and strives to enhance the pure bracing flavors naturally afforded by the climate and soils of Marlborough. The winery and vineyards are situated in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island. This unique and cool wine region enjoys a maritime climate with the longest hours of sunshine of any place in New Zealand. Cloudy Bay has estate vineyards located at prime sites within the Wairau Valley and long-term supply agreements with five Wairau Valley growers. The main varieties grown are Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.