Cloudy Bay turns 40 – and partners with Star Wine List in the UK

Marlborough winery Cloudy Bay is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new vintage of its trailblazing Sauvignon Blanc… and by joining Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer 2025.

Partner story with Cloudy Bay.

At last week’s UK wine list awards, we were joined by a new sponsor, Cloudy Bay, in the Best Long List category. Before handing a Gold Star certificate – and a bottle of their famous Sauvignon Blanc – to Kate Polianska of Core by Clare Smyth, Senior Brand Manager Kathleen Ritaine explained to our guests why it was important for the New Zealand winery to have joined the event.

“I think ultimately, beyond being a partner of Best Long List, it’s also celebrating the stories that are being told by crafting such exceptional lists,” she said. “Because it’s just so much more than the amount of references — it’s about the journey that we’re trying to convey with the consumers. And that’s something that, for Cloudy Bay, is very important for us because we’re celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, and we just wanted to share the emotion of crafting from past experiences and celebrating fantastic achievements.”

Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay has become one of New Zealand’s most widely recognised – and revered – wineries during its 40-year history. Indeed, the brand’s ascension in the eighties helped to put the Marlborough region on the world wine-producing map, most notably for Sauvignon Blanc, which was initially Cloudy Bay’s sole cuvée.

Today the estate encompasses vineyards across Marlborough and Central Otago, producing a concise but prestigious range of wines, though Marlborough remains Cloudy Bay’s home – the location of its winery and the vines that create its famous Sauvignon Blancs.

A sense of place

Sitting at the northernmost tip of New Zealand’s South Island, Marlborough’s modern winemaking history began in 1973, with the first Sauvignon Blanc vines planted in 1975. In 1983, these wines were tasted by David Hohnen, of Cape Mentelle in the Margaret River, Western Australia, who set about capturing this inimitable flavour himself and sharing it with the world. Alongside winemaker Kevin Judd, Hohnen released the first Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, made with the 1984 vintage, in 1985.

Marlborough now accounts for more than 70% of all New Zealand wine production, with approximately 27,000 hectares under vine. Appellation Marlborough Wine has recently been created by a group of likeminded wineries (including Cloudy Bay) to ensure quality standards are maintained across the region – a sign of its continual evolution – and soon there will be an interactive map for fans to drink along with and truly get to understand the terroir.

As one of the region’s first five wineries, Cloudy Bay’s name is synonymous with Marlborough and its reputation has grown steadily over the past four decades thanks to consistent critical acclaim, not to mention popularity among consumers. However, the estate has taken care not to sacrifice quality for volume, proudly retaining its original plots and sticking to lower yields than you might expect for such a widely-recognised label. Sustainability, too, is of paramount importance and Cloudy Bay ensures that its land, local communities and seasonal workers are looked after as it continues to evolve.

The wines

Since that first Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, Cloudy Bay has expanded its holdings to include Pinot Noir from the Southern Valleys, and Chardonnay grown in both sub-regions. There is also a Pinot Noir from Central Otago, the location of a second cellar door.

The majority of grapes for the flagship Sauvignon Blanc come from the coarse gravel soils of the Wairau’s old river valley, the warm temperatures and free-draining sites enabling Cloudy Bay’s vibrant yet pure fruit flavours. Crops are vinified by vineyard before blending to ensure that the beloved Cloudy Bay style, and standards, are consistently achieved.

Then there’s Te Koko, whose heritage Sauvignon grapes from the valley floor are fermented in French oak, using indigenous yeasts, for an elegant, more modern expression.

The Cloudy Bay Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also focussed on Marlborough, whereas the Te Wāhi uses Pinot Noir from the brand’s Central Otago sites. The traditional method sparkling Pelorus, and Pelorus Rosé, offer crisp complexity.

Four decades of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc – Cloudy Bay’s 40th version of its signature wine – is a faithful expression of that year’s growing season, which saw the driest conditions on record and a drought declared in March. This meant low yields and great care required in the vineyards, but wonderful power – and personality – in the wine.

“The 2024 vintage was extremely dry and warm in Marlborough,” says winemaker Kelly Stuart, “and the wine is intense and concentrated. There’s notes of pink grapefruit, passion fruit, lime leaf, a bit of pink pepper and orange blossom. And there’s just a hint of sea salt. It’s absolutely delicious and I’m really excited to be able to share it with you.”

The wine not only tells the story of its Marlborough home, but displays Cloudy Bay’s unfailing dedication to excellence – and to continually pushing boundaries. The team recommends pairing it with a pearl couscous salad with fresh, pan-fried fish and a citrus dressing.

In addition to this release, Cloudy Bay has also celebrated by inviting 40 international trade guests to its Marlborough home for an immersive and educational experience – festivities stretching over three days culminated in a big birthday party on 28th February. Estate Director Yan Cheng described it as “a birthday celebration like no other.”

Learn more about Cloudy Bay by visiting the website.