As travel writer James Conaway once noted: “If Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, filmed in New Zealand, were real it would still take place here because no other place has so much natural enchantment. But the ring wraiths would be searching for grape clones instead of the gold ring, and Frodo would be uncorking a 2010 vintage Pinot Noir and not sweating the small stuff.”
“Americans should know,” Mr. Conaway went on to say, “that Kiwi Pinot Noirs cost half as much, at most, as the French ones and are significantly more consistent. In short, you know what you’re getting with a Pinot, a notoriously tricky varietal, from New Zealand – and the one you choose is likely to be rich, nuanced, and lasting.” There is absolutely no question that New Zealand Pinot Noirs have truly come of age, representing, as one writer put it, “finely tuned examples of New World fruit and Old World complexity.”
Be that as it may, however, New Zealand’s oenological claim to fame continues to be its Sauvignon Blanc. And there can be little doubt that Jancis Robinson, the queen bee of wine writers who is rarely guilty of a misstatement, totally missed the boat when she wrote in 1986: “Sauvignon Blanc looks set to fall out of favour.” Indeed, the growth of New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc over the last almost three decades has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Located in the Marlborough region at the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island, Cloudy Bay Vineyards has played an important pioneering role in establishing the illustrious reputation and tremendous popularity of New Zealand’s intensely aromatic and fruit-forward Sauvignon Blancs.
Cloudy Bay Vineyards was founded in 1985 by David Hohnen, co-founder of Cape Mentelle Vineyards in Western Australia. In 2003, the winery was purchased by the multinational luxury goods firm LVMH (Louis Vuitton Möet Hennessy) through its Champagne house, Veuve Clicquot. Since the LVMH corporate takeover, the production of Sauvignon Blanc has increased significantly. This expansion prompted wine writers such as Victoria Moore to suggest that the former benchmark wine had become “diluted” and “anonymous.”
It’s always amazing to me the things that wine writers will say to stir up a bit of controversy. I’ve been sampling Cloudy Bay wines for X number of years now… and, trust me, “diluted” and “anonymous” are definitely NOT words that come to mind. New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs – and Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blancs in particular – are most assuredly, well, yes… “distinctive”; with “unique” coming in a close second.
On the other hand, things have changed at Cloudy Bay, and some would say not for the better. Cloudy Bay’s founding winemaker, Kevin Judd, was the young oenological alchemist who turned grapes into liquid gold and created a Sauvignon Blanc of cultic proportions. “By the early nineties, “ as wine journalist Mike White notes, “it had become a virtual holy grail for wine aficionados around the world, its success giving the entire New Zealand wine industry exposure and confidence.”
Despite his pivotal role in Cloudy Bay’s success, however, following the 2003 corporate takeover, Mr. Judd’s role became less prominent. He spent more time in the office and jumping in and out of planes rather than with the vines. His contributions seemed less valued; the company’s culture changed; key staff departed.
Finally, in 2009, after twenty-five years, Mr. Judd left Cloudy Bay to make wines under his own brand name, Greywacke (pronounced grey-wacky). The new winery is named for the rounded river stones, composed of compacted layers of grey sandstone and mudstone, that are commonly found throughout Marlborough and all of New Zealand. So valued is greywacke soil for growing grapes that some people are calling it “New Zealand’s national rock.”
Today Kevin Judd is producing world-class wines that are exported to Australia, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In addition to his winemaking prowess, Mr. Judd is also New Zealand’s leading wine industry photographer, having producing The Color of Wine, and the lavish, encyclopedic The Landscape of New Zealand Wine. His photographs are as renowned and sought after as his extraordinary wines.
Given the intertwined history of Cloudy Bay and Greywacke – namely winemaker Kevin Judd – just out of curiosity, my wife and I recently conducted a side-by-side tasting of their currently available vintages of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The results weren’t particularly startling – as the representatives from both wineries are highly rated – but they were extremely revealing nonetheless.
The first comparison was between the 2014 vintages of Sauvignon Blanc. The 2014 Cloudy Bay ($28.00) is a completely uncompromising New Zealand “in your face” Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is classic gooseberry – a pungently tart, grassy, herbal, grapefruit-y aroma that wine critics often describe as reminiscent of “cat’s pee.” However you wish to describe it, one thing is certain…a single whiff of this heady elixir is sufficient to send your sinuses into cardiac arrest. Plenty of body here, citrus to burn, and a rather harsh finishing assault upon the palate. There is absolutely nothing timid or “diluted” about this baby. If you like your Sauvignon Blanc at full throttle, this wine is highly recommended. And, trust me, you’ve met your match.
On the other hand, the 2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc ($20.00) is more subtle in its approach. All those typically intense grassy, herbal Marlborough flavors and aromas are present and accounted for… but they are beautifully muted and integrated into a seamlessly succulent body that caresses rather bullies the palate. The wine’s finish is long, lingering, and as smooth as silk. If you prefer a softer, more sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc, the 2014 Greywacke should be your vintage of choice. And its understated nuances make for an infinitely better marriage with a variety of foods.
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The second comparison was between Pinot Noirs: the 2012 Cloudy Bay and the 2011 Greywacke. The first thing you notice about the 2012 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir ($30.00 – $40.00) is that it is wonderfully aromatic. A ripe whiff of strawberry & spice is immediately enticing and obviously the harbinger of good things yet to come. On the palate, this Pinot is medium bodied, plush, and complex. There are marvelously ripe flavors at work here, silky tannins, and a beautiful sense of balance. The long finish is an exquisite blend of power and finesse. Pair with grilled salmon or roast pork and you have marriages made in heaven.
Greywacke’s 2011 Pinot Noir $35.00 – $40.00) is, once again, more laid back than the Cloudy Bay entry but every bit as attractive. So much so that the Wine Spectator bestowed 93 points and rated it 48th on their “Top 100 Wines of 2013.” Spectator wine critic MaryAnn Worobiec called it “Elegant, with supple, fresh and lively flavors of raspberry and cherry, meshing harmoniously with details of clove, forest floor, tobacco leaf, pepper and dried lavender that echo on the long, lingering finish.” Descriptive overkill, in my opinion, but still pretty much right on the money. Yes, there’s plenty of fruit here, but it’s the wine’s irresistibly supple texture, so desirable in a Pinot Noir, that sets Greywacke’s 2011 apart. Another marvelous effort from winemaker Kevin Judd.
Cheers!
TAD
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