Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand on the map with its captivating flavour. This, the 40th Vintage of our Sauvignon Blanc is mouth-wateringly intense, revealing notes of makrut lime, hibiscus and pink grapefruit.

Quite restrained on the nose and less tropical than previous vintages. It unfurls in the glass to reveal profound and attractive notes of citrus, lime leaf, apricot and orange blossom. The palate shows mouthwatering intensity, with subtle-but-juicy passionfruit notes melding with those of citrus, white stone fruit, makrut lime, pink peppercorn, hibiscus and pink grapefruit. Throughout, there is a freshening saline edge and a fresh-squeezed lemon acidity that carries a long, concentrated and complex finish. 

Our Sauvignon Blanc comes 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.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand on the map with its captivating flavour. The growing season began cold and unsettled, with some sharp frosts over the flowering period. This resulted in a lower-than-average crop as summer arrived, and arrive it did. In Marlborough, we experienced our driest 10 months since records began, with drought being declared in mid-March. The low soil moisture levels meant that the vines were almost entirely dependent on regular irrigation applications to sustain them through the summer. It was also beautifully sunny, and certainly a blessing from a disease-control point of view. The lack of rainfall reduced the yield still further than the spring frosts, and the warm weather led to an early harvest. Fortunately, cooler nights from late February onwards, ensured that ripening slowed and acid balance was retained.  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.

Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is a natural match for almost any seafood. Some of our favourites at the winery include tempura oysters, locally-caught sashimi, and steamed mussels with garlic, citrus and parsley. It’s also a great match for green salads and goats’ cheese. A hint from us: if it goes with lemon, it goes with Sauvignon Blanc.