30 vintages creates an icon

 Now 30 vintages later, the name Cloudy Bay is synonymous with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The company has lept from “new kid on the block” status to become an iconic producer. That it happened in three decades says a lot for the ground work laid back in the mid 80s, says current winemaker Nick Blampied-Lane.

“I think the world was ready for a new style of wine from the new world at that time. And I think David Hohnen (founder) did a very good job of making great wine consistently. And I think the label helped also, it is very captivating.”
Hohnen’s decision not to test his new wine on the domestic market was also a bonus for helping to make Cloudy Bay a world-wide sensation.

“The strategy of David to immediately export the wine to Australia and the UK was critical to getting it recognised from such an early stage,” Nick says.

Many believe it was brilliant marketing to release such tiny parcels of the wine into the market, thereby creating a demand outweighing supply situation. Although in fairness, there wasn’t a great deal of wine available in those early days. In 1985, only 200 tonnes of grapes were crushed. 

“You can’t control that sort of thing (demand),” Nick says. “But it’s partly to do with exporting, getting it out there and selling it to a whole bunch of different people. Ultimately that was advantageous to the brand.”

While there have been inevitable changes over 30 vintages, some things have stayed the same, regardless of time. The label for one, is instantly recognisable. The quality of the wine places it in the most lauded category (despite not entering wine shows) and the team making the wines has been also consistant. Nick says in 30 years there have only been two eras. The first 20 years, which belonged to winemakers Kevin, James Healy and Eveline Fraser, and the last 10 or so have seen Nick and senior winemaker Tim Heath at the helm. There are very few companies in New Zealand who can claim such consistency.

What has changed though is the size and ownership of the company. (Admittedly, most of that growth took part in the first 20 years). Whereas the first wines had to be made with fruit sourced from Corbans who were based just down the road from Cloudy Bay, these days the company has 19 growers supplying them, plus five of their  own vineyards. The majority of the Sauvignon Blanc fruit is taken from Rapaura, Brancott and central Wairau Valley areas. A miniscule amount comes out of the Awatere – unlike many other companies of a similar size who have expanded into the more southern sub-region.

“When defining our style and our qualities in the wider sense of the term,”Nick says, “we find what we are looking for in this area.”

The change of ownership began in 1990, when Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (part of the Moet-Hennessy Louis Vuitton group) purchased a majority interest in Cape Mentelle and therefore Cloudy Bay. They took full control in 2001.

Looking forward to the next 30 years, Nick has absolutely no fear that the world will fall out of love with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

“No I don’t. There is something incredibly seductive about the aroma of Sauvignon Blanc. There is almost a sub concious attraction to it, to those smells of passionfruit, tomato leaf and grapefruit. What I think the challenge is for us here in Marlborough, is to start introducing more weight and texture into our Sauvignon, while still retaining that very pure, seductive aromatic compound.”