Cloudy Bay’s winemaker Nick Lane is racing around the country hosting the Cloudy Bay Pinot and Duck Trail, a series of events designed to showcase how pinot noir and duck dishes are a match made in heaven. Today he’s at Auckland’s Sapphire Room where three of the best chefs in town are preparing duck-centric dishes to go with the release of their 2013 pinot noir, a variety Cloudy Bay’s had in the ground for 20 years. “About 85% of our pinot noir comes from vineyards we own, the rest comes from growers – one of whom has vines around 25 years old” Nick says. “If we looked at all the vines that contribute to our pinot, the average age is around twelve. In pinot years, that’s where they get a haircut and a proper job and start behaving themselves”.
Why was pinot put in the ground in the first place, for a company so focused on sauvignon blanc? “I would have been around ten at the time when Cloudy originally planted pinot back in the 1980’s, so I don’t really know;” shrugs Nick “but one of the main reasons would have been for sparkling wine”. The first 8-10 years of pinot noir at Cloudy Bay were about growing sparkling wine clones on the flat, free-draining soils of the Wairau plains. “They were great for sparkling, but not so great for traditional pinot,” Nick explains.
As Marlborough gradually got its head around what soils worked best for classic pinot noir, plantings moved off the plains and up into the Southern Valleys and into the nooks and crannies of the Awatere Valley as well. Pinot noir, it turns out, is extremely fussy. “In my opinion the pinot noir vine is a complete wuss” shrugs Lane. “It doesn’t like drought and it doesn’t like stress, unlike other grapes such as syrah or cabernet which thrive on a bit of tension. Pinot needs soils that carry some clay which is good at water retention and nutrient delivery as well”. Pinot doesn’t like wind very much either apparently. “Wind beats it up” he reckons, “Pinot needs supreme comfort at all times”.
He’s very happy with the 2013 vintage however. “We had lots of sweet spice, cinnamon and cola characters and I think that’s very typical of Marlborough and of Cloudy Bay. Not sure if it’s the winemaking or the vineyard, but it’s got red and black fruits and it’s very fresh and saturated. It reminds me of those chewy, pick and mix, red and black lollies we had as a kid”.
Nick’s pinot passion began during his training in France back in the late 1990’s, where he fell in love Burgundy. The maps of that area (famed for pinot noir and chardonnay) intrigued him the most “It’s a fairytale place” he gushes, “I’d look at Burgundy in wine books and memorise all the names, the villages and the contour lines etc… In terms of wine maps of France it’s the most interesting and aesthetically pleasing. When I was studying, I did an internship in Burgundy and I’ve done a few more over the years”.
For Lane, it’s mind-blowing how New Zealand’s pinot industry has evolved in such a short time, and we’re definitely on the international radar where pinot is concerned he says. “In mature, sophisticated markets like the UK, Australia, Japan – they get it. In terms of quality and price-point, New Zealand always over delivers. As the price of Burgundy ceaselessly increases every year, our challenge is to capture those buyers; so when Burgundy becomes too expensive for pinot lovers, we’re right there to fill the gap”.
And Nick’s favourite pinot dish? “I’m all over a good coq au vin,” he says. “The trick is you need to get the ropiest, stringiest old chicken you can find and cook it for a seriously long time. But it’s actually really hard to find chewy old chickens”.
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013 $47 ★★★★
The clay-based, alluvial gravels of Marlborough’s southern valleys provide the fuel for the vines charged with producing this powerhouse pinot. It bursts with black cherry, plum, black tea and smoky spices on the nose, followed by a saucy, fruit-soaked palate and a long, lingering finish. It’s youthful, vibrant and very precise, with a muscular spine designed to age gracefully. www.cloudybay.co.nz
Champagne de Castelnau Brut Réserve Édition 2015 $59.95 ★★★★½
This sparkler seriously over-delivers for the price. Created by long-time winemaker Elizabeth Sarcelet to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Tour de France, it will definitely appeal to those who like creamy, cashew and soft, lemony notes in their champagne. Delicate biscuit characters combine with clean citrus and textural minerality to give generosity, complexity and yum-factor.
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