AUTHOR: Dave McIntyre TITLE: TN: Cloudy Bay 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ $25 DATE: 11/11/2005 11:29:00 PM ----- BODY:

Next Thursday is the third in November, which means the celebration of the new vintage and the sprouting of signs proclaiming “Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé” at a retail outlet near you. But we don’t have to wait until then to taste the new vintage, thanks to our friends down under. Sure, it’s cheating a bit since they have a six-month head start, but this year’s Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand are already reaching our shelves. And since there are so many Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand now, it’s easy to forget the one that came first and introduced us to the brash, grassy-herbal style and that bold flavor that seems uniquely New Zealand. (Some call it gooseberry, others say it’s “cat’s pee,” neither of which I’ve ever tasted, so I can’t vouch for it.) Cloudy Bay ignited the trend for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in this country, and then became scarce and expensive. Quite frankly, at $25 it is more expensive than competitors that are its equal. But Cloudy Bay is still delicious and focused on coaxing the true expression from the grape and its terroir. Many of its imitators seized on the American enthusiasm for New Zealand wines and pushed the grassiness and the mystery flavor over the top. Such wines fight with each other, like T.O. and the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2005 Cloudy Bay is an excellent reminder of why we fell in love with New Zealand in the first place. All those qualities are there but held in perfect balance, an ensemble working together.

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