Cloudy Bay Te Koko Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – $$$

I expect that this wine is as close as we generally get to a premier cru for this varietal in New Zealand.

There are other benchmark wines that sit alongside it, but as this producer was in the vanguard of exporting Marlborough sauvignon blanc to the world, its nose is in front. In the subjective wine world, first impressions count…

A few weeks back I won a supermarket competition, and I received a few grocery vouchers. Rather than fold them into the weekly food shop, I thought I would apportion the vouchers over a few ‘feast’ nights, where I would buy more expensive ingredients than usual, and cook something nice for my closest and dearest. This was one of those nights.

L brought this bottle over to share, and pair with my grilled marmalade salmon fillets, yoghurt dill and mustard sauce, boiled new potatoes and mesclun salad. Joining us were her boys, her new au-pair, and my LG. We had a good time.

And the wine was wonderful: 14%. Gorgeous gold. Aromatic, warm and rich. A nose of oak and vanilla. Only a hint of Marlborough varietal character.

This is a matured wine, issued for sale by Cloudy Bay after three years of aging. It is made from the best grapes, with minimal handling and wild yeast fermentation.

L called it the sav for chardonnay drinkers. I agree. It has the complexity and mouthfeel of a chardonnay. Absolutely delicious, the vanilla comes through in the mouth, with smooth fruit, honey, vanilla, and creamy texture. Perfect with the salmon. 5

Then we had wildberry danish’s with fig and honey ice cream for dessert. L brought along a sticky to pair with it:

Fromm Marlborough Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer 2010

12.5%. It was richly aromatic and sweet, with honey and spice and golden syrup. Delish. 4

Lucky me in so many ways…