New direction for Cloudy Bay

Ask a New Zealander to name this country’s most successful international luxury brand, and prepare for puzzled looks.

There aren’t a lot to choose from, that’s for sure. In fact, we really have only one truly international consumer name ‘‘to be seen with’’, and it’s a wine label – Cloudy Bay.

But most Kiwis don’t think of Cloudy Bay in those terms. It’s one of those brands that enjoys far greater prestige offshore than it does at home.

I don’t think that’s because of foreign ownership (Cloudy Bay is part of the huge French conglomerate, LVMH). I think it’s largely because proximity and familiarity weakens mystique, and mystique is a big part of Cloudy Bay’s remarkable success.

The man in charge of maintaining and enhancing that brand made a recent flying visit to New Zealand. LMVH’S charming Jean-guillaume Prats, who was brought up in a small French catalan fishing village, was here to smooth the way at a time of change at Cloudy Bay.

He discussed the imminent arrival of a new Estate director.

Yang Shen comes to New Zealand from China, and is likely to become very familiar with that air route over the next few years.

Prats states that one of Shen’s chief tasks is to take Cloudy Bay to China. The Chinese being much fonder of red wine than white, the WINE label’s recent efforts to take pinot noir more seriously make perfect sense.

Those efforts saw Cloudy Bay become the first big wine operation to buy into Central Otago.

It acquired the Northburn vineyard in 2013 and, more recently, a portion of the desirable Calvert vineyard in Bannockburn.

Prats is thrilled with these acquisitions. Ever since he blindtasted a Felton Road pinot years ago and mistook it for a Grand Cru Burgundy, he’s held Central Otago pinot noir in high esteem.

The most convincing effort to date by the label in Central Otago is the Cloudy Bay Te Wahi Pinot Noir 2014 (see tasting note). This is a blend of Northburn and Calvert fruit, the latter of which is farmed organically.

Fine pinot though it is, down the track I hope it morphs into two single vineyard wines. That would make more sense of the name – Te Wahi means ‘‘place’’, singular.

The legendary Cloudy Bay label recently underwent a design ‘‘refresh’’. The changes are subtle; they had to be. Why would you mess with the identity of what Prats describes as ‘‘probably the most well-known brand of any new world wine country’’?

Cloudy Bay Te Wahi Pinot Noir 2014 $99:

This wine’s elegant tannins are impressive. They corset the fruit closely but gently, framing a complex array of flavours. And they resolve beautifully, leaving no loose ends. A generous, complete wine.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $34:

It’s bright, loud, and proud of it. Stone fruit laced with zesty green notes are carried by a busy line of acidity. There’s some likeable fruit weight and a dry mineral finish.