Cloudy Bay releases the 2023 vintage of its much beloved Sauvignon Blanc here in Singapore, along with the 2021 Te Koko.
The wines of New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay need little introduction.
It is possibly the best known winery in New Zealand, with the renowned Marlborough-based producer largely credited for putting New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on the international wine map. What’s even more amazing is that it did so with a flagship wine that’s effectively an entry-level expression, a particularly rare feat for any winery.
But it’s exactly the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc that encapsulates classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which expresses the grape varietal differently from what you might find from, say, the Loire in France, Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia, Steiermark in Austria, or even next door in Hawke’s Bay or Martinborough. Think vibrant fruit flavours (especially grapefruit, passion fruit, kaffir lime, gooseberry), fresh herbal and grassy notes, and just a touch of minerality to make one salivate just thinking about it. It’s no surprise really that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – and those of Cloudy Bay’s – fly off the shelves here in Singapore.
Good news for Cloudy Bay fans is that its 2023 vintages have now dropped here in Singapore.
According to the winery, the start of the 2023 season posed some challenges that led to lower yields and looser bunches. Thankfully milder weather and regular rainfall later proved benign, with extended summer days and cool nights allowed grapes to ripen to perfection come harvest time.
As a result you’re going to get exactly what you’d expect in the Cloudy Bay 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe honeydew melon. Passion fruit. Zesty citrus. And a hint of herbal grassiness and some mineral salinity to keep things interesting.
Then there’s the Cloudy Bay Te Koko 2021, the newest release of its barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Racked directly into French oak barrels (of which 8% are new) followed by being rested on lees for 11 months, you get the rich, round and complex profile you’d expect from this unique expression.
“Our unrelenting pursuit of quality remains the heartbeat behind our winemaking process, as showcased in these latest expressions. Each wine possesses its distinctive character, highlighting the skill and unwavering dedication of our entire team, from the vineyards to the culmination of crafting each bottle,” said Jim White, Technical Director of Cloudy Bay.
The Cloudy Bay 2023 Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is available from Cold Storage at a recommended retail price of S$52, while the Cloudy Bay 2021 Te Koko can be purchased from The Oaks Cellars at a recommended retail price of S$104.
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