Source: Drinks Industry Ireland
Moet Hennessy’s Estates & Wines Division made the right move when it purchased New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay wine company a few years ago. Although but a medium-sized company in wine terms, this iconic brand has not only
maintained its premium pricing down through the years - especially for its iconic Sauvignion Blanc - but it has also managed to remain on restricted quota for domestic suppliers in countries such as Ireland. Perhaps that’s because the LVMH Group’s Estates & Wines keeps a firm hand on having the New Zealand winery stick to what it does best - the Sauvignon Blanc.
Chief Winemaker for Cloudy Bay Kevin Judd was over in Dublin recently to offer a preview of the Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with a vertical tasting at Ely HQ. Cloudy Bay’s vineyards in the Wairau Valley area of Marlborough are characterised by temperate climate with maximum temperatures rarely breaking 24 degrees. As Kevin pointed out, the hottest day in summer might be 32 degrees “which we’d consider cooking for us.
And while the free-draining stony soils in the vineyards here are an important feature of Cloudy Bay¹s character, it¹s mainly the climate that sets this wine apart. This climate comprises long sunshine days - the Wairau Valley enjoys more
sunlight hours than any other region of New Zealand - and a cool climate with no seasonality to the vineyards. Rainfall is low, not changing from month to month.
However when elements such as frost do threaten, it behoves Kevin to place six helicopters on standby (at $5,000 each) should their services be required during the night. And should they indeed be required, Cloudy Bay must dig deeper - about $2,000 per hour per machine or pay the frosty price instead.What’s more, not every vintage is a good run, explained Kevin. In 1995, for example, 50 per cent of production was sold as bulk wine when they deemed this portion of the vintage to be not good enough.
“We now budget to 20 per cent more than we need to take account of this,”explained Kevin.This year, early predictions of a bumper crop were quashed during the coldest December in 50 years, affecting the later flowering varieties, especially Sauvignon Blanc. Cooler than average weather conditions prevailed through most of the Summer, bringing the season back from it’s early start and putting worried looks on many a winemaker¹s face. But the beginning of Autumn brought the arrival of a true Indian Summer and the vineyards basked in the warmth under sunny, blue skies. Harvest commenced slightly earlier than normal and proceeded rapidly as fruit ripened quickly under the idyllic conditions.
So Kevin’s back on track in expecting a good vintage despite having had the coldest December in 50 years (but unlike ourselves, this “Coldest December in 50 years” is still not frost territory for Mairau Valley New Zealanders).
And despite the attention being paid SB, the Cloudy Bay team is to be commended for its pioneering spirit beyond their showpiece icon because, with the exception of Sauvignon Blanc, wild yeasts are used in much of Cloudy Bay’s other varietals. The 2007 vintage is now available from Edward Dillon & Co.
Photo Caption: Cloudy Bay’s Chief Winemaker Kevin Judd - “The hottest day in summer might be 32 degrees - which we’d consider cooking for us .
