Cloudy Bay: Raising a glass to 40 years of New Zealand’s finest

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Cloudy Bay is celebrating its 40th anniversary – and in turn its 40th vintage of Sauvignon Blanc. Decanter raises a toast to this iconic winery and its flagship wine.

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It was 1985 when winemakers David Hohnen and Kevin Judd founded the Cloudy Bay winery. In the four decades that have followed, Cloudy Bay has become the standard-bearer for premium New Zealand wine and has helped both Marlborough and Central Otago craft reputations as two of the most prestigious wine regions, not only on New Zealand’s South Island, but in the world. For 40 years, Cloudy Bay has continued to set the benchmark for quality, innovation and sustainability in the industry.

Sauvignon Blanc defines New Zealand wine

The very first wine that Cloudy Bay produced was a Sauvignon Blanc. From this inaugural vintage, Sauvignon Blanc became the flagship for Cloudy Bay and captured the attention of wine enthusiasts around the world.

The winery was one of the pioneers in bringing Sauvignon Blanc to the global stage, offering a wine synonymous with purity, vibrancy and a true expression of Marlborough’s unique terroir.

Indeed, this wine in many ways defines the New Zealand wine experience: imagine yourself with friends, next to the ocean, drinking a chilled glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, carefully paired with a delicious pearl couscous salad with fresh pan-fried fish and a citrus dressing. Perfection!

Cloudy Bay’s prized Sauvignon Blanc vineyards.

A special Sauvignon Blanc vintage

A central part of the winery’s celebrations this year will focus on the release of the 40th vintage of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. A special commemorative label will appear on every bottle sold around the world.

However, this 40th vintage was created from a challenging harvest. The region suffered one of the driest 10-month periods since records began. This, coupled with frost and unsettled weather in the spring, followed by lack of rainfall in the summer, led to low yields.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc makes a great match for fish and seafood.

Challenges leading to a spectacular wine

But the winemaking team’s signature attention to detail ensured the vines were well tended, and, as always, only the very best fruit was included in the final blend. This has resulted in a truly spectacular wine, with concentrated ripe citrus, white stone fruit and pink peppercorn notes, balanced with saline character and mouthwatering fresh-squeezed lemon acidity.

As technical viticulturist Hannah Ternent explains, ‘Vintage 2024 was one to be remembered – it is not often that we can say that a vintage was a dream, but this year I truly believe it was.’

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a wine that has shaped one of the world’s most prestigious drinks brands. Nikolai St George, wine director at Cloudy Bay, says, ‘Reaching the 40th vintage of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a truly remarkable achievement. It’s a celebration of four decades of passion, innovation and commitment, and we’re thrilled to share this exceptional vintage as we look towards the future.’