Claudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is the wine that put New Zealand on the international wine map -> it won international acclaim for its first wines in the 1980s and helped establish New Zealand's international reputation for white wine. It was acquired by champagne house Veuve Clicquot in 2003 and is now a brand of multinational conglomerate LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE)

Varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

This 40th vintage is mouthwateringly intense, revealing notes of makrut lime, hibiscus and pink grapefruit.

Vineyards: Sauvignon Blanc grapes come primarily from vineyards planted in the Rapaura, Renwick and Brancott Valley sub-regions of the Wairau Valley. The area's warm, dry maritime climate and free-draining gravelly soils are ideal for Sauvignon Blanc. Key blocks include the Estate, Motukawa, Widow's Block, Red Shed and Mustang vineyards

Vinification: After harvest, the grapes are crushed and the resulting juice is clarified at low temperature, then fermented with selected wine yeasts. The grapes from each vineyard are fermented separately before blending, which is critical to maintaining the famous consistency of Claudy Bay - >> instead of blending grapes from each vineyard (which will result in more wine), here the right grapes (from over 90 lots) are carefully selected for each vintage of wine. This means that the quantity can change, but never the quality!
Fermentation takes place primarily in stainless steel tanks, with around 1.5% of the blend fermented at higher temperatures in oak, and the rest fermented using wild yeasts to build texture and complexity. In 2024 out of 81 samples, 55 of them were selected to create the final blend)

Organoleptic characteristics

Aroma: Quite restrained on the nose and less tropical than previous vintages. It unfolds in the glass to reveal deep and inviting notes of citrus, lime leaf, apricot
and orange blossom.

Taste:  shows an appetizing intensity, with subtle yet juicy notes of passion fruit that mingle with those of citrus, white stone fruit, makrut lime, pink pepper, hibiscus and pink grapefruit, with the acidity of freshly squeezed lemon that brings a long, concentrated and complex finish.

Food pairing: almost any seafood (the winery’s favorite dishes for this wine are oyster tempura, locally caught sashimi and steamed mussels with garlic, citrus and parsley). It also pairs well with green salads and goat cheese. Tip: if it goes with lemon, it goes with Sauvignon Blanc!

Sauvignon Blanc Cloudy Bay Marlborough