Isabel Estate is nestled into the heart of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, situated at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. Marlborough is New Zealand's largest and most successful wine producing area renowned for the production of exuberantly fruity Sauvignon Blanc and intensely aromatic wines.
Isabel Estate aims to produce true "estate" wines - wines produced only from vineyards under its total viticultural control. Isabel Estate endeavours to produce "inspired wines that are a strong expression of the individual style and character as determined by the vineyard soil and site".
Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc - 2008
Fragrant, fine and delicate Sauvignon, the nose exhibits subtle intensity of passion fruit, fresh snow pea, honey and fresh cut grass, as well as exotic fruits such as lychee and pineapple. Exquisitely soft texture, the palate is round, length balanced with unexpectedly crisp acidity and mineral character. A salmon and feta entree would complement this Sauvignon Blanc well.
Marlborough, Dry Riesling - 2006
A multi-layered aroma profile, which includes honey, fruit and flint all at the same time. As these vines gain age, more minerality and limestone hints are becoming apparent - definitely an Isabel vineyard feature. At this early stage of development, grapefruit seems quite dominant and some wine geek on our staff tasting panel pulled out aromas of sage and marigold. Patricia's experience from working at Dr. Loosen's iconic Mosel winery is quite apparent in this wine. We are confident our 2006 Riesling will gain palate interest for the next 5 years.
Marlborough, Pinot Noir - 2006
A robust Pinot Noir. Dark medium garnet colour, elegant primary fruit characters, ripe plums, strawberry and cranberry as well as chocolate and spiced notes with balanced oak. It is most cetainly a voluptuous wine - with enticing aromas and alluring depth. A full bodied wine with struture, complexity and beautiful mouth feel. Already charming in its youth, this wine will offer even more with time; cellar 5-8 years.
Cloudy Bay Vineyards was established in 1985 by Cape Mentelle Vineyards in Western Australia, and is today part of Estates & Wines. Innovation, meticulous attention to detail and regional expression, are the guiding principles of Cloudy Bay. The Cloudy Bay team is committed to producing wines of region's and strives to enhance the pure, bracing flavours and stunning vibrancy, naturally afforded by the climate and soils of Marlborough. The winery and vineyards are situated in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island. This unique and cool wine region enjoys a maritime climate with the longest hours of sunshine of any place in New Zealand. Cloudy Bay has estate vineyards located at prime sites within the Wairau Valley, and long-term supply agreements with five Wairau Valley growers. The main varieties grown are sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir with lesser quantities of gewurztraminer, Riesling, and pinot gris. Cloudy Bay believes that the future success of specialist wineries lies in the production of high quality wines from varieties best suited to specific regions. At Cloudy Bay emphasis is placed on individual fruit character and the development of a recognisable estate wine style. Cloudy Bay Vineyards was a founding member of the New Zealand Integrated Winegrape Production scheme, set up to develop a programme for sustainable vineyard management, which is now monitored by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Cloudy Bay's impeccable scorecard reflects the company's commitment to environmentally friendly vineyard management practices. The winery takes its name from the bay at the eastern extremity of the Wairau Valley, which was named Cloudy Bay by Captain Cook on his voyage to New Zealand in 1770.
Sauvignon Blanc - 2008
Scented and summery, this 2008 has deliciously vibrant aromatics that infuse the tropical fragrance of fresh passion fruit and juicy pineapples with garden-fresh basil and the spiciness of crushed tomato leaves. The palate is long and succulent, combining exotic fruits with a twist of green olive. Beautifully complemented by crisp natural acidity and a hint of lime zest.
❝Cloudy Bay needs no introduction: unquestionably, the winery that put New Zealand on the map❞ Robert Parker
Pinot Noir - 2005
Cloudy Bay first made pinot in 1989 and the winemaking team has been obsessed with the variety ever since. This year the second crop was harvested from the 'Barracks Vineyard', an elevated site in the Omaka Valley dedicated almost entirely to pinot. In the winery, the purpose-built pinot cellar allows the winemakers to handle as many as 40 unique parcels of wine from 25 different sites with the utmost precision and care. These are carefully blended to create a true expression of the variety, the vintage, and 'our place'.
Cropped at very low levels from prime Marlborough vineyard sites, Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir is rich in regional fruit character. Typically it has an intensely varietal palate that reveals layers of dark red fruits, savoury dried herbs, charry oak and silky tannins.
'Te Koko' Sauvignon Blanc - 2008
Cloudy Bay Te Koko is an individual expression of the sauvignon blanc grape, a complex and savoury wine that is both deliciously aromatic and richly textured. Aromas of lychee and honeysuckle intermingle with the scent of thyme and a hint of smoky oak.
Released as a matured wine, Te Koko is a full-bodied, alternative style of sauvignon blanc. The winemaking philosophy of Te Koko is very much 'hands off', and is the result of winemaking curiosity. After harvesting and pressing, the juice is transferred to French oak barrels and allowed to undergo a primary fermentation with naturally occurring yeast. This is followed by a full malolactic fermentation during the following spring. The wine is left in barrel on yeast lees for 18 months prior to bottling, and released after a further 18 months in the cellar.
The bay at the eastern extremity of the Wairau Valley of Marlborough, named Cloudy Bay by Captain Cook, was originally known as Te Koko - o - Kupe by the Maori people of the region. Legend has it that Kupe, the Tahitian explorer, dredged for oysters in the bay and Te Koko refers to the scoop used by Kupe to lift the oysters from the seabed. Serendipitously, Te Koko is a delicious foil for oysters.
Pelorus Sparkling Wine - NV
Pelorus is the sparkling wine label of Cloudy Bay, comprising two styles crafted from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Sunny skies and the long cool summer days of Marlborough ensure the slow ripening so essential for achieving the elegance, crispness and complexity inherent in a quality sparkling wine.
Pelorus Vintage and NV are both produced using traditional vinification techniques; the grapes are hand-picked, and only the free-run juice is extracted to ensure palate softness and elegance.
It is a fresh, aperitif style sparkling wine with apple-crisp flavours, underpinned by nutty yeast complexity derived from two years bottle maturation on lees.
Lawson Estate was established in 2001 by Jennifer and John Lawson. Both are very passionate about growing high quality wines. The block is located in the Hills of Hall area on a sheltered north facing slope which allows good cold air drainage and protects from frost. The Lawson's Sauvignon blanc vines produce grapes of very high quality and flavour which translate into wines of complex varietal flavours.
Sauvignon Blanc - 2008
Mount Vernon is the second label of Lawson's Dry Hills of Marlborough. Winemaker, Marcus Wright, made a wine that is classic with gooseberry, citrus and herbaceous aromas on the nose. The palate is fresh and clean with green bell pepper, lime and gooseberry. The crisp acidity, herbaceous character and wonderfully concentrated fruit flavours make it very gulpable. The screw top makes it very easy to open for immediate enjoyment!
Pinot Noir - 2006
Mount Vernon is the second label of Lawson's Dry Hills of Marlborough. Winemaker, Marcus Wright, has made a very appealing and enticing Pinot Noir. Bright red berry fruit scent. Ultra-juicy with vibrant lip-smacking characteristics. The palate also really sings with touches of sweet ripe black and red fruits. A great value for money from New Zealand and the screw top makes it very easy to open for immediate enjoyment. Terrific value.
