GENERAL INFORMATION
Estate / Producer / Brand: Cloudy Bay
Region: Central Otago (from 2 vineyards Calvert and Northburn)
Appellation: Wines of New Zealand
Type: Dry red wine, non-sparkling
Vintage: 2018
Date of Tasting: April 2023
Type of viticulture: in process of organic conversion in 2018 (certified organic in 2020)
Grapes used: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Blend: 100% of grapes from 2018
Winemaking details: hand-harvested (for a better selection), mainly destemmed grapes (with 22% ofwhole bunch grapes), extended maceration, malolactic conversion
Aging: over 1 year in French oak barrels (30% of new oak barrels)
Sugar level: low (level of residual sugar not communicated)
Sulphites: contains sulphites
APPEARANCE
- Colour = Ruby
- Intensity = Medium+
NOSE
- Intensity = Medium+
- Aromas Characteristics = Primary + Secondary + Tertiary
- Aromas = Wild strawberry, violet,
PALATE
- Sweetness = Dry
- Acidity = High
- Tannins = Medium+ (smooth)
- Alcohol = Medium (13.5%)
- Body = Medium+
- Flavour Intensity = Pronounced
- Flavour Characteristics = Primary + Secondary + Tertiary
- Flavour details =
- Other = great freshness and acidity
- Finish = Long
GENERAL ASSESSMENT (1)
- Overall Quality = Outstanding
- Bottle Aging =
- Can be kept at around 10°C for up to 12-15 years
- Will gain complexity from aging
- Retail Price = 80 euros for a 75cl individual bottle (France retail price, incl. taxes)
- Value for Money = good
- Comparison with same price competition = good
- Suitability for Diabetics = suitable (level of residual sugar not communicated)
- Service Temperature = around 15°C
- Suggested Food & Wine Pairing = quail, duck; fillet of New Zealand salmon, pork, veal, lamb or venison
- Comments = Complex and nuanced fruits characteristic of the Pinot Noir grape (forest fruits, currant, cassis…) with a bright acidity and a good tension of the palate reflecting its unique terroir. This wine offers a beautiful elegance and a racy finish.
- Final Grade = A
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Wine is a gourmet treasure, do not abuse alcohol!
None of this content has been sponsored
I did not receive any gifts or free samples that could be related to this article
(1)GENERAL ASSESSMENT GUIDE
Please note that although all efforts have been made to be as objective as possible, the general assessment inherently involves a degree of subjectivity based on a personal evaluation of the wine.
- Overall Quality scale
- Poor < Acceptable < Good < Very Good < Outstanding
- Bottle Aging
- Will it beneficiate from additional aging?
- Retail Price
- Usually the retail price for one bottle including taxes
- Value for Money
- Quality offered compared to the price paid
- Comparison with same price competition
- where does it stand compared to average competition of the same price range
- Suitability for Diabetics
- Evaluation of the level of final sugar for early stages diabetics
- Comments
- Any additional elements worth noting
- Final Grade Scale
- A++ = Out of the Charts Wine (Stellar, Hors Classe, Fuori Classe)
- A+ = Outstanding Wine
- A = Great Wine
- A- = Very Very Good
- B+ = Very Good
- B = Good
- B- = Noteworthy
- C+ = Acceptable
- C = Poor
- F = The worst grade of this scale
