2014 New Zealand

Having lived in London at the heart of the UK wine trade for many years, Sam Harrop MW moved back to New Zealand with his family a few years ago and now makes wines under his own name (for the first time), working his aunt and uncle’s vineyard, located at 400 metres’ altitude on the sub-tropical island of Waiheke.

This is impressive, pure and elegant Syrah. It has a lovely aromatic nose with classic Northern Rhône aromas, and flavours of wet granite and fresh black cherries. The palate is refined and elegant with a refreshing herbaceous twist. There is a glorious breadth on the palate but the wine is wonderfully refreshing with a real lift on the finish. We cannot recommend enough that you give this a try.

As always with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the aromatics are explosive. Grapefruit, greengage, passion fruit, asparagus, elderflower, mineral hints…the list could go and on and on.  It is the addition weight that sets this wine apart however, a richness which allows it to really excel with food in a way which lesser Sauvignons cannot. Racy and vibrant, there is bags of cleansing acidity here and a focus which is reminiscent of fine Riesling. 
Ben Upjohn - Fine Wine Sales Manager Brilliantly aromatic, and distinctively Marlborough! ‘Intense’ is over-used in wine tasting notes, but it’s needed when describing this Sauvignon. Heaps of gooseberries, pepper, and herbaceous notes on the nose, gooseberry, passion fruit and elderflower all mingle beautifully on the palate. This is superbly refreshing and wonderfully balanced, this will hit all the right spots on one of those UK summer days. 
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager

Beautiful bright ruby in colour. Expressive red fruit on the nose but that is not what this wine is about. Lovely spice and much more reserved in character than most NZ Pinot. Very cool fruit on the palate. Rich and round as it should be but with the poise and composure of a great Burgundy. Seductive and savoury. One of the great New World Pinot Noirs. Buy this, drink it or hold it… sensational!
Gareth Birchley, Fine Wine Buyer.