2009 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc is a much appreciated step-up in quality from the 2008. It displays fragrant citrus and floral aromas with some white peach, Golden Delicious apple and the faintest whiff of herbs. Crisp, clean, with good concentration of mineral/zesty flavors, it gives a long finish. Drink it now to 2014. Tim Heath commented, “I would like to see more intensity on the nose of the Sauvignon and a bit more texture – beginning with the 2010 you will start to see this.” I tasted a tank sample of his 2010 Sauvignon and it is indeed looking very promising though I’ll wait until it’s in bottle to review it. Te Koko is a style that seems to polarize Sauvignon drinkers. From its inception I’ve loved that Cloudy Bay has tried to push the boundaries of what a Marlborough Sauvignon can achieve in terms of texture, concentration and ageability. Yes, yes, it was too oaky and, well, let’s just say the volume needed adjusting in its formative years. But the early issues have been judiciously addressed and I think the recent vintages are very impressive. I tasted the 2001 vintage during my visit and it really has developed into a wonderful, honey-nut, straw and dried mango scented glass. I generally agree with Neal Martin’s previous comment about some of Cloudy Bay’s wines produced over the last couple of vintages perhaps being “a notch behind other Marlborough producers”. However, I did find some very good wines to recommend during my recent visit. Trust me, my visit was not typically befitting of the fanfare laid-on by a Champagne House with the soft light, foie gras canapes and gentle tinkle of classical music playing in the background. White winemaker Tim Heath and I stood tasting in a stoically sterile white tasting room and deconstructed his recent work over the course of just an hour or so. I’ll cut to the chase and state that in the cold, hard, clinical light of that tasting room, I think that Tim is making some very positive moves towards filling some very big shoes. Importer: Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 888-7575