Cloudy Bay: Te Koko 2012,Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Chardonnay 2013, Pinot Noir 2012, Pelorus Brut NV
Cloudy Bay wines do need scores. They may have been so awarded. Nobody cares-everyone just want to lay their hands on them, buy, drink, and buy again for the good taste and iconic quality. That is the power of brand marketing- that LVMH bit.
The top-top 2012 Te Koko offers aromas of lemon citrus, bees wax and passionfruit flower. Exotic elements are: green mango, white pepper and flint; it’s richly textured but shaped by fresh acidity. Taut minerality lingers on the plush finish, very savoury. Best with Thai dishes. No bitterness. A true alternative to Sancerre. Technical wine. RP93.
The 2014 vintage Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the iconic wine, is the classic Marlborough Sauvignon: intense, with classic (lime, grapefruit, stone fruit, lemon grasss) and exotic notes(passion fruit)yet also lots of finesse. Its real finesse on the palate with the riper, more tropical notes balanced by fine, mineral, chalky and subtly green notes. This 2014 Sauvignon Blanc has given the Team nice surprises which are easy to discribe. The Team thought that vintage 2014 could survive a little longer eventhough it won’t improve. Bitterness seems to be 'built-in' with all Marlborough SBs, and this is not an exception though. Team thought it was better than vintage 2013 they tasted 3 weeks ago in a wedding banquet in Lei Garden Restaurant Causeway Bay.
The Vintage 2013 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay is a reflection of its sunny origin, expressing intense aromas of peaches, nectarines, aromatic herbs and biscuit. A light entry of stone fruit becomes a slippery mid-palate that re-focuses to an aromatic and mineral finish. Very compact and well-made. Very savoury and textural. Very modern, ver yclean.
The 2012 Pinot Noir 2012 is ripe with plum, aromatic spice and red florals. The palate is focussed with a savoury architecture; bittersweet chocolate, dark fruit and spice play with leather and hints of earthiness. Chalky tannins linger on a persistent finish. We particularly enjoy our 2012 pinot noir with soy glazed bbq pork ribs, roast goose and Dim Sum beef meat-ball.
Pelorus Brut is a chardonnay-predominant blend of selected vintages. It is a fresh, aperitif style sparkling wine with apple crisp flavours, underpinned by nutty yeast complexity derived from two years bottle maturation on lees. A la style of Champagne the making and blending, its higher Pelorus Vintage version did confuse us to view it as a Premier Cru single vineyard Champagne in our MW exams 10 years ago. How bad can the Pelorus Brut NV be?
All wines are mostly 13.5% ABV.
