If you’ve spent any time in the Sauvignon Blanc aisle, you already know the name. Cloudy Bay has been the benchmark bottle out of New Zealand’s Marlborough region since 1985, and forty years later it’s still the one other producers get measured against.
The current release comes in loud: kaffir lime, passionfruit, and white peach on the nose, with a palate that layers tropical fruit against zesty citrus and stone fruit, all riding a grapefruit acidity that carries through a long finish. At 14% ABV, it’s got more weight than the average Sauv Blanc — this isn’t a thin, one-note grass-and-grapefruit pour.
It runs $33.96 for a 750ML bottle at ReserveBar, which is a fair price for a wine that basically defined a category. Good for a warm-weather dinner party or as a go-to bottle when you want something reliable that doesn’t need explaining to guests.
