2024 Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

Aromas of lemon blossoms, grapefruit, perfume and subtle fresh rosemary follow through to a medium body with a firm texture and a flavorful finish. Some tropical fruit and citrus at the end. Complex. Drink now.

93 points James Suckling, August 2026

Te Koko was a groundbreaking departure from the region’s classic crisp style when it was first released in 2000. A barrel-fermented old vine Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc, its name references Te Koko-o-Kupe, the Te reo Māori name for Cloudy Bay.

From the dry and cool 2024 season, the fruit for this wine was grown in the warm, free-draining gravels of Motukawa, Widow’s Block, Mustang and Brook Street blocks, pressed and the juice settled overnight. It was then racked into a combination of stainless steel, lined cement and French oak barriques of which 7% were new. The slow fermentation with endemic vineyard yeasts lasted up to five months, after which the wine was allowed to rest on lees for eleven months before the parcels were assessed and blended in preparation for bottling.

About this producer

Established by David Hohnen and Kevin Judd in 1985, its is hard to imagine what Marlborough would have been without the impact that Cloudy Bay had when its first vintages of Sauvignon Blanc arrived on the world stage.

Today it is a substantial operation that sits within the LVMH group of luxury brands and retains a significant presence in Marlborough with extensive vineyard holdings supplemented by numerous leased and contracted vineyards. More recently, two organically farmed Central Otago Pinot Noir vineyards have also been brought into fold.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc still accounts for the majority of Cloudy Bay's annual production, with much smaller volumes of the excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as the Pelorus sparkling wines.