Cloudy Bay : Pinot Noir Te Wahi 2017

A complex and refined Central Otago Pinot Noir by Cloudy Bay

The producer

The Cloudy Bay estate was founded by David Hohnen in 1985 in Marlborough, New Zealand. Surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful scenery between the Pacific Ocean and the Richmond Range, the estate is located at the entrance to the bay bearing the same name. Produced with the utmost respect for the terroir and its environment, each Cloudy Bay Estate wine captures the distinctive expression of a great terroir.

The wine

Produced since 2010, Te Wahi ("unique place" in Maori) invites you to discover the expression of Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region, located in the centre of New Zealand's South Island.

Cloudy Bay's Te Wahi 2017 comprises a blend of grapes from two vineyards, each with their distinctive characteristics. The Calvert vineyard in Bannockburn is located 230 metres above sea level on uniform loam soils which produce elegant and silky wines. The Northburn vineyard is located on a slope on the eastern bank of Lake Dunstan at an altitude of between 220 and 275 metres, offering three types of soil following the glacial period, giving the wine an intense structure. This region of New Zealand is characterised by a dry and hot climate with wide differences between day-time and night-time temperatures.

The vinification and ageing

After the harvest, 85% of the grapes are destemmed. The free-run juice then undergoes cold decanting for five days. Fermentation with wild yeast is accompanied by regular cap punching. Vatting for 17 to 25 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which are new.

The blend

Cloudy Bay's Te Wahi 2017 is a 100% Pinot Noir.

The tasting

Colour

The colour is dark and intense.

Nose

The nose combines notes of violet, wild strawberries and brambles.

Palate

Freshness, elegance and balance, this wine reveals fruity aromas (plums, forest fruits) with fine and dense tannins. The finish is precise and persistent.