Melbourne put on some stellar weather for the arrival of Cloudy Bay’s first sauvignon blanc into Australia, hosted at an exclusive event at The Botanical in South Yarra. We were treated to a beautiful floral setting in the atrium-style indoor garden at the rear of the restaurant, full of spring flowers and convivial banter.
photo courtesy Black Communications
The latest new addition to the iconic winery’s flagship suite of wines is a surprisingly fresh take on their classic white, and marked a real progression in the experience they offer – a coming of age moment that I was genuinely excited to be part of.
photo courtesy Black Communications
photo courtesy Black Communications
Having long experienced their classic wine, the ‘First of the Season’ launch, unveiling the latest 2015 harvest, really sought to expand and challenge people’s current knowledge of the established sauvignon blanc, by offering several experiential tasting stations. In one, guests were encouraged to smell lemongrass stalks and eat mini quenelles of asparagus mousse before sipping on the vintage. Another station, full of a host of citrus fruits like grapefruit and orange, worked to introduce and heighten the fruits people could smell and taste in the wine – adding to the rich tapestry of flavours the wine is known for, and adding a few more surprise ones.
Let’s hope they do this again for the Pinot Noir!
– Collette
Collette Swindells is an ex-hotel Food and Beverage Manager who laments that her current work – designing clothes for her online maternity label AYLA Maternity – doesn’t have nearly as much wine in it as she is used to.
Experience Cloudy Bay’s 2015 Sauvignon Blanc at the Sauvignon and Seafood Trail. Restaurants throughout Melbourne are pairing a special dish with a glass of the wine.
