Cloudy Bay : Pinot Noir 2022

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2022

Tasting

Color
The wine displays a deep, bright ruby-red hue.

Nose
Full and expressive, the nose opens on aromas of hedgerow berries, crumpled rose petals, and sun-warmed red cherry.

Palate
On the palate, velvety tannins and a pure acidity bring structure and harmony to a core of summer berries, lifted by sweet spices and a hint of vanilla biscuit. The long, lingering finish calls to mind summer evenings, strawberries nestled beneath shady foliage, and the aromatic memory of barbecue smoke.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with red meats, feathered game, as well as hard cheeses. Its supple, silky character makes it a versatile wine for many occasions.

Serving and Cellaring

It is recommended to serve this Pinot Noir 2022 at 16°C (61°F). To fully раскры? Wait: must be English. To fully reveal its aromatic range, open the bottle 30 minutes before tasting or decant it. This wine can be enjoyed now and will continue to develop through around 2032.

An Elegant, Expressive Marlborough Pinot Noir

The Estate

Founded in 1985 by David Hohnen, Cloudy Bay has established itself as one of Marlborough’s five pioneering estates, helping drive the global rise of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Owned by the LVMH group since 1990, the estate now farms 140 hectares across three sites in the Wairau Valley, complemented by 170 hectares under long-term contracts. Under the direction of winemaker Kelly Stuart since 2023, Cloudy Bay prioritizes quality over volume, maintaining moderate yields on its original parcels.

The Vineyard

This Pinot Noir comes from the Mustang, Delta, and Barracks blocks located in the Southern Valleys of Marlborough. The vines thrive on north-facing rolling slopes, benefiting from optimal sunshine. Trained to vertical shoot positioning (VSP), they grow on cool clay soils and ancient alluvial gravels with dense clay subsoils, offering an ideal balance between drainage and water availability.

The Vintage

The 2022 growing season began with a winter marked by abundant rainfall, replenishing water reserves. A mild, pleasant spring saw a few limited frost events, effectively managed by the protection systems in place at the estate. Despite unsettled conditions, Pinot Noir developed well. Significant crop thinning was carried out to optimize balance and reduce disease pressure, alongside meticulous canopy management to ensure healthy fruit. Harvest conditions proved excellent, allowing grapes to be picked at perfect ripeness between March 17 and April 1, 2022.

Winemaking and Aging

After rigorous optical sorting, the grapes for this Pinot Noir 2022 are gravity-fed into open-top vats. Maceration includes gentle punch-downs and lasts an average of 21 days on the skins. Malolactic fermentation is carried out 100%. The wine is then aged for 11 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which are new.

Grape Variety

This red wine from New Zealand is 100% Pinot Noir.