Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Marlborough)
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Marlborough)
Dozen Price: $563.88
RRP: $60.00
The 2023 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc has an enticing nose, with appealing aromas of ripe honeydew melon, passionfruit, vibrant citrus and a subtle touch of fresh blackcurrant leaf. The palate is concentrated and elegant, with hints of fresh sea air balancing out the warmth of the ripe fruit notes at the wine’s core. Subtle tropical fruit characters are underpinned by freshening notes of makrut lime, lemongrass, Meyer lemon and a touch of grapefruit skin.
Wine Specifications
Wine Specifications
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Size: 750mL
Region: Marlborough
ABV: 13.3%
Vintage: 2023
Winery & Vintage Info
Cloudy Bay source Sauvignon Blanc fruit largely from vineyards planted on the Wairau Valley floor, where the climate and free-draining gravelly soils are perfect for Sauvignon Blanc. This includes the Estate, Motukawa, Widow’s Block, Red Shed, and Mustang vineyards.
Fruit from each vineyard ferments separately before blending, a critical step in maintaining Cloudy Bay’s famous consistency. Rather than blending to make more wine, the winemakers carefully select the right grapes (from over 90 batches) for each year’s wine. This means the quantity may change, but never the quality.
The season began relatively unsettled, leading to inconsistent fruit-set and therefore lower yields and looser bunches. It proved to be a blessing in disguise, as the season continued to be mild and relatively humid, with regular rainfall events from November to January.
Our vineyard teams worked tirelessly over this period, ensuring our fruit was well-tended. Rigorous canopy management was vital in light of increased disease pressure.
As the calendar clicked into March and April, however, the summer decided to stay and play a while longer. Long sunny days and cool nights provided the perfect environment for ripening the crop.
With the fruit in pristine condition, this ideal climate gave us the time to slow down our decision making as we approached harvest. Each of our blocks was able to reach its full potential before picking.
We feel exceptionally lucky this year, and our hearts go out to our colleagues in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, some of whom suffered devastating losses. It’s a reminder to remain humble always, because we are all at the mercy of the weather.
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 almost 5% of the blend fermented at warmer temperatures in large format oak vats. A portion was also fermented using wild yeast to build texture and complexity. As usual, our Sauvignon Blanc was blended stringently to include only the best; in 2023 we tasted 82 different portions, of which 50 were selected to create the final blend.
You may also like...
-
Cleanskin Grenache Tempranillo Malbec 2018 (Clare Valley)
Regular price $11.99Regular priceUnit price / per$12.99Sale price $11.99Sale -
Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Rosé 2022 (Grampians)
Regular price $15.99Regular priceUnit price / per$17.99Sale price $15.99Sale -
Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Pinot Gris 2023 (Grampians)
Regular price $15.99Regular priceUnit price / per$17.99Sale price $15.99Sale -
Mount Langi Ghiran Hollows Shiraz 2018 (Grampians)
Regular price $24.99Regular priceUnit price / per$29.99Sale price $24.99Sale -
Mount Langi Ghiran Talus Shiraz 2021 (Grampians)
Regular price $59.99Regular priceUnit price / per$62.99Sale price $59.99Sale -
Yangarra GSM 2022 (McLaren Vale)
Regular price $29.99Regular priceUnit price / per$34.99Sale price $29.99Sale -
Trentham Estate Merlot 2022 (Murray Darling)
Regular price $13.99Regular priceUnit price / per$14.99Sale price $13.99Sale -
Greenock Creek Apricot Block Shiraz 2021 (Barossa Valley)
Regular price $69.99Regular priceUnit price / per$74.99Sale price $69.99Sale -
Taltarni Dynamic Shiraz 2020
Regular price $19.99Regular priceUnit price / per$22.99Sale price $19.99Sale -
Hentley Farm Villain & Vixen GSM 2022 (Barossa)
Regular price $22.99Regular priceUnit price / per$24.99Sale price $22.99Sale -
Seville Estate Pinot Noir 2021 (Yarra Valley)
Regular price $49.99Regular priceUnit price / per$54.99Sale price $49.99Sale -
Wild Duck Creek White Duck 2022 (Heathcote)
Regular price $39.99Regular priceUnit price / per$44.99Sale price $39.99Sale -
Wild Duck Creek Springflat Shiraz 2021 (Heathcote)
Regular price $69.99Regular priceUnit price / per$74.99Sale price $69.99Sale -
Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz 2021 (Langhorne Creek)
Regular price $54.99Regular priceUnit price / per$59.99Sale price $54.99Sale -
Onannon Tuerong Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 (Mornington)
Regular price $67.99Regular priceUnit price / per$69.99Sale price $67.99Sale