Te Koko o Kupe ('The Oyster Dredge of Kupe') is the original name for Cloudy Bay; it is also the name of the Marlborough winery's intriguing oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc. Still youthful, the 2019 vintage (5*) was grown on the Wairau Valley floor, fermented in a combination of French oak barrels (8 per cent new) and large format wooden cuves, and matured in wood on its yeast lees for 11 months. Bright, light yellow/green, it is mouthfilling and concentrated, with generous, ripe, tropical fruit flavours, finely integrated oak, fresh acidity and a very harmonious, dry (3.2 grams/litre of residual sugar) finish. A tightly structured, savoury wine, it should be at its best 2023+. (Note: there were no 2017 or 2018 vintages.)
Details
Type: White Wines
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2019
Overall Rating for All Vintages Tasted: ★★★★★ – 5 Stars
Price: $60 NZD
Sweetness: DRY
Value for Money: AV
This wine is a Super Classic.
When to drink: 2023
Past Vintages:
Vintage: 2016; Winemaker’s Rating: 7/7; When to Drink: 20 – 26
Vintage: 2015; Winemaker’s Rating: 7/7; When to Drink: 20 – 25
Notes: WR provided by wineries. P = Peaked.
Reviewed June 2022