Cloudy Bay Vineyards 2009 Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc - Review

Cloudy Bay Vineyards
2009 Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand

Cloudy Bay was established in 1985 by Australia's Cape Mentelle Vineyards. Today it is a part of Estates & Wines, the Moët Hennessy Wine Division. The winery is known for producing wines with regional expression, particularly its famous Sauvignon Blancs. The latter are considered by many experts to have raised the bar for New Zealand whites and are regarded as some of the best Sauvignon Blancs in the world. The Te Koko is made of a blend from two vineyards in the Rapaura and Renwick sub-regions. Sauvignon Blanc doesn't get much better than this wine, created in a lush, full-bodied and complex style. On the nose, it offers juicy gooseberry, passion fruit and delicate honeysuckle aromas with just a hint of classic herb and cut grass. Beautifully balanced, it offers tropical flavors of pineapple, passion fruit and lime with a warming ginger note and edgy minerality at the back of the palate. The wine finishes long, lingering with citrus, mineral and just a hint of toast. Try it with delicate seafood dishes like poached lobster or prawns, white fish with a citrus butter or seared scallops. The wine would also work as a Chardonnay alternative for more robust foods like garlic roast chicken, tempura or aged goat cheeses.

Rating: 16/20
Price: $50

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For more information, visit www.cloudybay.co.nz