Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Is it so wrong to like Cloudy Bay? It used to be the wine for the cognoscenti but it got a bit too big for its boots. It’s not exactly a mass produced and marketed wine like Jacob’s Creek (perish the thought), but those in the know yawn and say “Cloudy Bay? It’s a bit 1990’s man….”
I’m going to stick my neck out and volunteer that I still love the stuff. I still use it as a mental benchmark to compare Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire valley as well as New Zealand. But despite drinking the stuff regularly, I never captured any notes, so here are my thoughts.
You can get Cloudy Bay for between £16 and £20 a bottle, from Harvey Nichols amongst other places. I am not sure why Laithwaites charges an astonishing £26 per bottle! Don’t pay it.
On opening the sensible screw cap, the taste was stewed rhubarb with brown sugar. Some citrus emerges, probably white grapefruit. It has a very long finish for a white wine and there is something floral or herby there – basil???
The word “zingy” was invented for Cloudy Bay. The word “expensive” was invented for Laithwaites. Don’t combine the two. If you can get Cloudy Bay for £18 or less, then it’s a great value wine.
I am going to stick with it and I can’t wait for the 2007 to be released.
November 13th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I think Cloudy Bay became a victim of its own success, people started charging silly money for it, or only selling you a couple of bottles if you filled up the rest of a case with random bottles. A backlash may stabilise pricing and allow people to choose it ‘cos it tastes good rather than because its THE wine to drink.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
[…] title of most expensive, was awarded, obviously, to Cloudy Bay 2006 Sauvignon. A pure rhubarb delight but so it should be for the best part of £20. This Isabel 2006 was […]