Cloudbreak Winemakers Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016
This wine has things going for it before you even open the bottle. For starters, Cloudbreak makes me think of shafts of sunlight hitting a dewy morning vineyard. Then there’s the back label statement that ‘the fruit was hand picked at dawn’. I’m imagining a crew of a few hundred pickers whipping the unblemished berries off the vines in one synchronised swoop, placing them gently in the velvet-lined baskets of handservants who then press the juice with their porcelain fundaments. They do say the Hills is a nice place to make wine. I’m beginning to see why.
Profile
Meanwhile... Randal Tomich and Simon Greenleaf are two very experienced names in the region, and have access to excellent fruit and winemaking toys, so their pet project should be good, too.
At the Tasting Bench
“To me it highlights the difference between Adelaide Hills and Marlborough,” says Summa, or Mumma Summa as we call her (as broker team lead). “This is a nice expression of that more delicate style that you get from the Hills.”
Karel chimes in: “it’s a little bit softer, less acidic”.
I’m inclined to agree. Snow peas, lime, lemon zest, passionfruit pulp and something reminiscent of homemade damper. Obviously some smart lees work here (which leads to that nutty, bready note). This is a very good example of Adelaide Hills at its savvy best..
Reviews
James Halliday
“No frills winemaking: cool fermentation of clear juice. It should be called Viticulturists Reserve, for it wears a tri-corner hat with excellent varietal fruit spanning grass, citrus and tropical aromas and flavours, striding out on the finish.”
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Adelaide Hills
- Vintage
- 2016
- Cellaring
- 2019
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 13.0%
- Closure
- Screwcap
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Serving Temp.
- 7.0°C
Region
Adelaide Hills
Don't kid yourselves, the Adelaide Hills are bigger and much more diverse than they seem. It stretches over 80km from the Barossa Valley in the North to McLaren Vale in the South. The area is so variable that small pockets such as Piccadilly and Longwood can only ripen marginal such as Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, whereas other specific areas are perfect for peppery Shiraz and ballsy Cabernet. A healthy mix of experienced hands and young hipsters ensure the region stays at the cutting edge of the industry. Natural wines, and new European varieties including Nebbiolo and Gruner Veltliner are some of the more recent highlights to keep an eye out for.
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Potato and cauliflower curry
Ingredients
- 4 large desiree potatoes, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2/3 cup Balti curry paste (tomato and coriander)
- 1/2 (500g) cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 2/3 cup coriander leaves, chopped
Directions
- Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until tender.
- Add curry paste and cook until fragrant. Add potatoes and cauliflower, then toss to coat in curry paste.
- Stir in tomatoes and stock. Cover with a lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through coriander then serve.