Cloudy Bay is one of the most loved & favourite wine brand. Have been loving this brand very long time. Here comes the chance to attend their masterclass and take a sip or two on their premium range of Cloudy Bay wine.
Cloudy Bay is a very famous well-known wine in the world. So excited that I could taste 5 types of their wines at the masterclass such as the Sauvignon Blanc, Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Te Wahi Pinot Noir.
Super excited about it!
Snacks plate was served for every guests before the masterclass starts.
The portion was so generous with some salted crackers, cheeses, nuts, apricots, raisins and cold cuts.
How Cloudy Bay is found?
David Hohnen tasted his first Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in 1983 and decided to launch Cloudy Bay in 1985 together with the wine maker Kevin Judd, the iconic Sauvignon Blanc that puts New Zealand wine on the world's map. In 2003, Cloudy Bay joined Veuve Clicquot while in 2010 became part of the LVMH family.
Why choose Cloudy Bay ?
Cloudy Bay has its own unique flavour profile with the balance of the herbacious and fruitiness smooth flavour. It is because of its great location at Marlborough and Central Otago.
Marlborough is the icon for Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. It is the very first ideal place representative for their signature Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand. Marlborough is also the birth place for their first vineyards, winery where every natural environmental factors come together to create the sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc. The sandy, stony and free draining soils nearby the Wairau river of Wairau Valley are the important elements to produce the expressive Sauvignon Blanc while the heavy clay-based soils which located further south of the river in the Southern Valley, subregion to the south of Wairau Valley is used to produce the Pinot Noir.
Chardonnay is created by blending both grapes grown from 2 different characteristics soils in Wairau Valley. Both of these typical soils together with the ultimate climate in Marlborough works in harmony to produce the most exquisite Cloudy Bay's wine. Sauvignon Blanc vineyards located in the heart of Wairau Valley while Pinot Noir vineyards and Chardonnay vineyards both sits in the Southern Valley, subregion to the south of Wairau Valley. Marlborough's climate has enough warm during the day for maturation and good cooling night for balance and acidity.
Well, Central Otago is then developed to be the icon for Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir. In Central Otago, there are 2 very different complete natural environmental factors in terms of soils, lands, climate and sunlight that gives different characteristics to the wine produced. One is the Calvert's vineyard (certified organic) located in Bannockburn of an ancient lake bed that has loamy, silty soils and gentle slopes that creates fine tannins, opulence, elegance and silky textures wines. Another one is the Northburn's vineyard (began organic conversion process in 2020) that has rocky, glacial soils and very steep hilly slopes that creates structure and intensity wines. It sits on the banks of Lake Dunstan, planted with 100% Pinot Noir.
The balance and intensity of Cloudy Bay Te Wahi Pinot Noir is created by blending both grapes grown from 2 different characteristics soils of Calvert and Northburn's vineyard in Central Otago. Central Otago has a very short and intense growing season with high daytime temperatures and cold at night all the time. It then leads to a very ripe fruit flavours with high acidity. It is very different compare to Marlborough.
*Each and every character of the nature plays an important role in creating an exquisite wines. Therefore, the selection of the characteristics of the natural environmental are important to ensure the intensity and complexity of the wine is created.
Each and every elements of herbs, fruits and grapes used to produced the Cloudy Bay's wine are to be chosen wisely precisely and harvested at their very own optimum time in order to gives the best flavours and taste to the wine. Every year and every batch of the Cloudy Bay's wine produced would have slight different due to the respective year's climate, harvested herbs, fruits and grapes. Cloudy Bay's winemaker chose only the best of each and every elements.
Cloudy Bay started to create their very first wine with Sauvignon Blanc and slowly into Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pelorus Methode Traditionnelle (Sparkling wine). The adventure then continues with the barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Te Koko and the very delicate refined Central Otago Pinot Noir, Te Wahi.
The masterclass started with the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.
Rapaura, Renwick and Brancott Valley are the 3 sub-regions in the heart of Wairau Valley, where Cloudy Bay's Sauvignon Blanc vineyards located. All the 3 sub-regions has the characteristic of sandy, stony and free draining soils (nearby Wairau river) that David Hohnen recognized as the most perfect elements to produce the most exquisite Sauvignon Blanc. It is the perfect conditions to grow the Sauvignon Blanc grapes together with the ultimate Wairau Valley climate where sufficient warm in the day for optimum ripeness and good cooling night for the balance and acidity. As a result, refined, vibrant and full bodied of concentrated stone fruit, citrusy and subtle tropical characters wines are produced.
Exclusive Cloudy Bay's Mountain Wine Glasses were used for the tasting.
And continues with the Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc 2021. Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc has darker colour compare to the Sauvignon Blanc due to its fermentation in the French oak barrel.
What's in Te Koko bottle?
It has a very aromatic, savoury and complex flavour. It produces in Wairau Valley only, with 4 of 90 plots. Every grapes are hand-picked. It is then ferments in a French oak barrel (8% new) for 11 months on fine lees.
Taste profile: White peach, pear, white flowers, brioche.
What's in Chardonnay bottle?
It has the balance and harmony flavour due to the combination of ripe stone fruit with citrusy elegance from Wairau Valley & Southern Valley respectively. Every grapes are hand-picked. It is then ferments in French oak barrel (20% new) for 11 months too.
Taste profile: White peach, apricot, apple, pear, vanilla spice, hazelnut and saline.
Next tasting was the Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2022.
Cloudy Bay creates Chardonnay for its balance and harmony flavour. Brook Street, Motu kawa, Estate and Mustang, Barracks vineyards have stony, sandy soils of Wairau Valley and the heavy clay-based soils of the Southern Valley respectively that combines together to produce Chardonnay wine with ripe stone fruit and citrusy elegance flavour.
Cloudy Bay took 5 years (1989 to 1994) to experiment for a Pinot Noir that they are proud of ! It is strictly from the heavy clay-based soils of the Southern Valley, subregion to the south of Wairau Valley only. Brancott, Omaka and Waihopai are the 3 main valleys that have heavy clay-based soils, where Barracks, Mustang and Delta Cloudy Bay vineyards are located at.
Barracks, Mustang and Delta Cloudy Bay vineyards have the best conditions for Pinot Noir. The heavy clay-based soils of Southern Valleys are cooler and hold more water compare to the stony, sandy soils of Wairau Valley. The Southern Valleys has sloped areas that gives longer exposure to the Sun for best maturation too.
What's in a Pinot Noir bottle?
It has silky, elegant and versatile flavour. A wine to go for when you do not know what's for the dinner. It is planted in Marlborough Southern Valley, subregions to the south of Wairau Valley. Every grapes are hand-picked. It is then fermented in French oak barrel (35% new) for 11 months.
Taste profile: Morello cherries, bramble berries, vanilla, cloves and anise seed.
And then was the Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2021.
Cloudy Bay created a new icon specially for Pinot Noir at Central Otago, a darker more brooding style from a region whose terroir could complement Marlborough. Cloudy Bay took 4 years (2010 to 2014) to release their very first vintage. Te Wahi means "The Place". A new place that Cloudy Bay wants to express for Pinot Noir.
What's in Te Wahi bottle?
It has complex, earthy and structured flavour. It is produced in Central Otago. Every grapes are hand-picked. It is then fermented in French oak barrel (30% new) for 12 months.
Taste profile: Bramble, violet and wild thyme.
Lastly was the Cloudy Bay Te Wahi Pinot Noir 2016.
Te Wahi Pinot Noir has darker vibrant colour compares to Pinot Noir. After tasted all the 5 series of Cloudy Bay, I could tell that I have an expensive taste as I love both the Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc and Te Wahi Pinot Noir. They both have smooth and well balanced in taste even though they have different characteristics in their taste profiles. I am not so into red wine but Te Wahi Pinot Noir has a very elegance smooth taste which gives me a very different perspectives on red wines.
RM 50 cash voucher was given to each and every guests as a return from the registration fees. It can be use to purchase anything at their Booze iT Eko Cheras Mall Outlet since it was organized at this outlet. We used it to purchase our most loved one the Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc 2021.
So happy to be able to join this Cloudy Bay masterclass. I have gain more knowledge on Cloudy Bay history and how their different types of wines are made. Thank you Booze iT for organizing this masterclass.
Booze iT Retail, Eko Cheras Mall
Opening Hours: 1000 to 2200
Event on 23rd May 2024, Thurs
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