2024 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 750ml

Overview

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2024 is a layered and elegant expression of Marlborough Chardonnay. Fruit from the warm, gravelly soils of the Wairau Valley and the cooler clay soils of the Southern Valleys combines ripe stone-fruit character with citrus freshness, subtle French oak and a long, refined finish.

Vintage

The season began with cold, unsettled conditions and frost during flowering, reducing the crop. Marlborough then experienced its driest 10-month period since records began, followed by a warm and exceptionally sunny summer. Cooler nights from late February slowed ripening and retained acidity, allowing each vineyard block to reach full maturity before harvest.

Vineyards

The Chardonnay was sourced from complementary sites across the Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys. Key vineyards included Mustang, Brookby, Barracks, Widows and Cloudy Bay Estate, planted with B95, Clone 15, 2/23, 548 and Mendoza selections.

Winemaking

Following gentle pressing, the juice was settled and racked into French oak barriques, of which 20% were new, and new 6,000-litre cuves. After fermentation, the wine rested in barrel and cuve for 11 months before blending. The entire wine underwent malolactic fermentation.

Producer Tasting Notes

A little reticent at first, but with time in the glass and some gentle swirling, notes of ripe citrus, white stone fruit and warm croissants.

On the palate, this is layered and appealing. There are notes of warm meyer lemon, apricot, and fresh cut apples. It has a beautiful mouth-filling texture; oak is present, but subtle, imparting a gentle vanilla and sugared pastry note that frames the fruit. The finish is long and fresh, with just a hint of apple skin phenolic.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve at 10–12°C. This Chardonnay is drinking well now and may be cellared for approximately five to ten years.

Specifications

• Vintage: 2024
• Producer: Cloudy Bay
• Variety: Chardonnay
• Region: Marlborough
• Subregions: Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys
• Country: New Zealand
• Harvest: 12 March to 4 April 2024
• Maturation: 11 months in French oak barriques and 6,000-litre cuves
• New Oak: 20%
• Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Total Acidity: 6.37g/L
• pH: 3.21
• Cellaring Potential: 5–10 years