Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Last summer was the summer of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for me. We get a surprising number of them here in Istanbul. Sadly they all have ridiculous mark ups but some things are worth the exaggerated sticker price. Such as the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.
David Hohnen established Cloudy Bay in 1985. At the time he was one of the first five wine makers to venture into Marlborough. Of course Marlborough has risen since then to become New Zealand’s leading wine region and is now synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc.
Cloudy Bay’s vineyards represent the essence of the region and embody it in wine. Grapes from the Wairau Valley bring the punch and the intense flavours, while the fruits from the Southern Valley ensure elegance and refinement. A rich palette of terroirs that provides nuances of aroma and flavours, bringing complexity to the wines.
Following harvest, the free-run juice was cold settled for 48-72 hours before racking. Fermentation was primarily carried out in stainless steel tanks with a mixture of cultured yeasts and wild yeast. Approximately 3% of the blend was fermented at warmer temperature in old French oak barriques and large format vats. As usual our Sauvignon was stringently blended, including only the strongest batches. 
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Tasting Notes
The nose on this Sauvignon Blanc knocked my socks off. So much so that I’m willing to end a sentence in a preposition to make the point. Aromatic and exploding with lime, basil, jalepeño pepper, and passion fruit. Perfumers and winemakers really should work together. A perfume with notes of lime, basil, jalepeño, and passion fruit would be unorthodox sure but if Jo Malone carried it I would buy it.
For 13.5% ABV this wine still felt light-bodied; and scarily easy to drink. The palate flavors were a subtler version of the aromas but didn’t lose the verve of the nose with bright acidity bursting on the tongue releasing flavors of jalepeño and lemon grass.
Cloudy Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc is all sorts of savory, tart, and excitement making it #DangerouslyDrinkable.