Cloudy Bay Te Koko 2023, 0,75 l

Just how much depth can a Sauvignon Blanc have? The Cloudy Bay Te Koko 2023 offers an intriguing answer to that question. It starts off rather reserved on the nose but opens up with a little time: notes of mango, lemon verbena and juicy lemon emerge. On the palate, white nectarine, preserved citrus and salty almond complement the concentrated fruit. A subtle smoky note accompanies the long finish.

The grapes come from older vines in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough. Fermentation takes place with natural yeasts in French oak barrels. This slow fermentation lasts four to five months, followed by ageing on the fine lees. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc in which, alongside the fruit, you can particularly appreciate the texture and the spicy nuances.

For the dinner table, we’d pair it with smoked salmon, crispy pork belly or spiced chickpeas. Serve it at around 10 to 12 °C and pour it into a sufficiently large glass. Take your time between sips: it is precisely this slow unfolding that makes this distinctive interpretation of the grape variety so interesting.