Te Koko
In 2015, the Sauvignon Blanc for Te Koko was sourced from some of our oldest vines across four distinguished vineyards. The vineyards are located within the sub-regions of Rapaura and Renwick. These vineyards yield intense fruit with powerful structure. True to Marlborough, the soils are predominantly comprised of free draining gravels that have a particular affinity for Sauvignon Blanc, producing grapes with high concentration and elegant, pure-fruited aromatics.
Forget all you know about New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc
Cloudy Bay broke the winemaking rules to create a sophisticated style of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc made through wild fermentation and aging in old French oak.
Harvest
We began hand-picking the Sauvignon Blanc used for Te Koko on 27th March. The first fruit originated from the Rapaura and Renwick subregions. The harvest window was short and swift with the picking completed within the week, on 4th April. The yield was slightly below average and the concentration and complexity of the fruit shone through.
Vinification
After gentle pressing and settling for a period of 24 hours, the juice was racked directly to French oak barrels (8% new) where it underwent a slow and steady fermentation that was initiated by indigenous yeasts. The primary fermentation carefully progressed, gaining complexity over four to five months under the watchful eye of our winemaking team.
The wine rested in barrel on fine lees until the spring of 2016. Whilst in barrel, the wine underwent a partial malolactic fermentation. Careful maturation in the cellar creates the unique texture and acid profile of Te Koko, with the resultant wine reposing a delicate balance. The barrels were diligently tasted prior to the final blending and bottling.
Blenheim, New Zealand, 01.10.2018
Cloudy Bay is pleased to announce the opening of their new Cellar Door – The Cloudy Bay Shed - in Central Otago, New Zealand, on Friday 27th July.
In 1985, David Hohnen created Cloudy Bay, the ultimate expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
