Te Wahi 2016 is a blend of grapes harvested from our two special Central Otago vineyard sites. Northburn brings structure and tension to the wine, while Calvert contributes the violet-like perfume and a focused generosity. Together they complement each other, combining to deliver a beautifully balanced wine.
Defining a new Pinot Noir place
Cloudy Bay’s evocative distillation of the most extreme southerly and continental Pinot Noir terroir of Central Otago.
Harvest
The grapes were handpicked between the 30th of March and the 15th of April, with good weather allowing the fruit to be allowed to mature slowly, leading to supple and ripe tannins. Sugar levels ranged from 22.6 to 26.4 brix.
Vinification
The grapes for Te Wahi 2016 were predominantly de-stemmed into open top fermenters, with 15% whole bunch inclusion. There, the grapes underwent a five day cold soak before the start of wild yeast fermentation. The cap management consisted plunging between one and four times daily, with a maximum fermentation temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Total skin contact time ranged from seventeen to twenty-five days, with the pressing date determined by taste.
After twelve months barrel-aging in French oak barriques (30% new), the wine was bottled on 11th July, 2017. It was released on July 1st, 2018, after twelve months of additional bottle aging in our Cellar.
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.
