Tasting notes

Pale straw green in colour and mouth-wateringly fragrant, the 2003 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is redolent of a mid-summer kitchen ... ripe passionfruit, yellow plums, juicy limes and freshly picked basil. The palate is pure and refreshing with all the hallmarks of a small but perfectly formed crop ... flavours that echo the aromas, with piercing concentration, impeccably balanced acidity ...and a long, crisp finish.

Rating

Very pale straw-yellow. Sexy, pure aromas of soft citrus fruits, grapefruit and lemon oil, accented by peppery herbs. Dense, sweet and supple, with lovely lift and spicy high notes to the lemon, grapefruit and pineapple flavors. A broad, fruit-driven style of sauvignon with a light touch-and distinctly polite for this bottling, showing neither the outstanding intensity and grip of the best recent vintages nor the pronounced herbaceous character of the more difficult years. But this is harmonious from the outset. Wine Spectator 91 points

Technical notes

Grapes were sourced from eight estate and grower vineyards located in the Rapaura, Fairhall, Renwick and Brancott sub-regions of the Wairau Valley. Free draining, stony soils typify the Rapaura and Renwick areas whilst Fairhall and Brancott are predominantly fine alluvial loams containing some clay. The majority of fruit was grown on the divided Scott Henry trellis system with the exception of a small percentage of young vines.