Looks like I’m a day late to the party here, but what the heck: today’s my last day on the South Island before heading for home via Auckland and Nadi tomorrow.

Even in a dingy motel glass (not even a wine glass!), the bead is persistent and the wine’s making quite a noble effort at building up some resemblance of mousse. The aroma’s hard to pick out, but it seems to be largely of zwieback and Granny Smith apples. Fine and foamy in the mouth, the lush, ripe fruit, surprisingly more pinot than anything else, with hints of roses and wild strawberries, gives way enticingly slowly to a finely toasted end, tapering out into a beautiful finish like the light crust on just-baked bread.

To be honest, this wine is one of my favorite sparkling wines in the world; it walks the line very carefully and deliberately between a garish New World fruitfest and an Old World exercise in severe, elegant restraint. For my money, this is the best wine you can get from Marlborough.

Bonus points: I don’t know who designed the foil for this bottle, but it’s exceptionally easy to remove and just oozes sophistication and needless expense. I love it.

Cloudy Bay
Price: NZ $40.40 (cellar door)
Closure: Cork
Date tasted: January 2009