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Cloudy Bay has released the 2025 vintage of its flagship Sauvignon Blanc, the wine credited with helping introduce New Zealand wine to the world and establishing Marlborough’s global reputation.
When Cloudy Bay first produced its Sauvignon Blanc in 1985, New Zealand wine was still largely unknown internationally. That inaugural vintage, noted for its purity and energy, attracted worldwide attention and helped define the country’s most recognisable wine style. Forty years later, Cloudy Bay remains a benchmark for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
The 2025 growing season in Marlborough saw fruit ripen steadily and evenly, producing a wine with refined citrus and stone-fruit aromatics, crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish that reflects Cloudy Bay’s hallmark precision.
Cloudy Bay director of winemaking Nikolai St George says the 2025 vintage balances tradition and evolution.
“The 2025 season was one of both challenges and rewards,” Nikolai says. “Every vintage has a chance to honour what made Cloudy Bay special, while bringing something fresh to the table. This year’s release has that same clarity and quiet confidence that first put Marlborough on the global wine map. This is a vintage defined by patience, as we needed to sit on our hands and allow the fruit to reach perfect balance. This has resulted in a wine that feels elegant, pure and deeply expressive of both who we are, and our distinctive terroir here in Aotearoa.”
Cloudy Bay technical viticulturist Hannah Ternent says the season brought strong momentum across the vineyard and winery.
“Harvest is always a time of high energy and excitement,” she says. “Months of work go into getting the fruit to this point, and you really feel that effort come together when the fruit starts coming in. This season everything felt connected, from the vineyard to the winery. When the fruit reaches its full potential, you can taste the team’s work in every glass.”
To celebrate the release, chef Ben Bayly has created a series of summer food pairings showcasing the wine’s vibrant freshness and affinity for seafood.
“Sauvignon Blanc has this amazing clarity and drive that makes it a serious food wine,” Ben says.
“The 2025 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is all lime, juicy stone fruit and a little salty edge, with fine texture, so it cuts through richness and makes flavours feel brighter. It loves clean seafood, so think Moana kingfish with citrus and herbs, fish off the grill with olive oil and greens, or something raw like scallops or snapper with a bit of crunch. Fresh seafood, a warm evening and a glass of this, and you are in a very good place.”
Nikolai says this vintage continues Cloudy Bay’s long-standing philosophy.
“Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc has always been about balance, precision and a true sense of place. It is effortless and refined at the same time, and that is what makes it so uniquely ours.”
