Cloudy Bay

One of the pioneers of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in the 1980s, Cloudy Bay has not rested on its laurels – far from it. The company that Aussie winemaker David Hohnen (co-founder of Cape Mentelle) created is now synonymous not only with some of New Zealand’s finest examples of Sauvignon Blanc, but also Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and even traditional-method sparkling wine (see Pelorus).

Cloudy Bay’s winery is based in the Wairau Valley in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. Most of the estate’s white wine vineyards are located across three sub-regions of the Wairau Valley, where a combination of a cool maritime climate, intense sun exposure and free-draining gravelly soils create wines with a rare vibrancy of flavour.

Cloudy Bay’s barrel-fermented Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc – launched back in 2000 –demonstrated the estate’s restless ability to challenge people’s perception of what to expect from wines of the Marlborough. In addition to its home region, since 2009, the company has also had a presence in Central Otago, where it produces its dark, brooding Te Wahi Pinot Noir.