Cloudy Bay Vineyard, Winery and cellar door is certainly one to have on your list of wine tasting cellar door experiences.
The spacious and inviting cellar door is located at the winery itself, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. We enjoyed an informed tasting experience at the counter of the cellar door before then enjoying a glass of Cloudy Bay wine by the fire. In the summer months there’s a vast courtyard to enjoy a glass of wine with views out towards the surrounding mountains past the grape vines.
In the 1970s, Marlborough emerged as a leading wine region, thanks to its ideal climate and fertile soil. Today, it is renowned for producing high-quality Sauvignon Blanc, which is celebrated worldwide. This transformation highlights the region’s impressive development.
A bit about Cloudy Bay vineyard and winery: Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay was one of the first five wine makers to venture into Marlborough. At the time, it was almost an unimaginable place to set-up a vineyard. But Cloudy Bay’s founder – David Hohnen – was convinced of its potential to produce great wine and invested in the best land of the region. Since then, Marlborough has risen to become New Zealand’s leading wine region, as well as one of the finest winemaking locations in the world.
The selection includes a variety of Cloudy Bay’s finest wines. Each tasting session is complemented by insightful notes on aroma and flavour. Seasonal offerings may introduce exclusive varietals only available at the vineyard.
Visitors can enjoy guided tours through the vineyard, gaining insights into grape cultivation and winemaking techniques. These tours often culminate in a tasting session, offering a complete exploration of the vineyard’s processes.
The winery was named after Cloudy Bay, a body of water explorer Captain James Cook came across during his voyage to New Zealand in 1770. His discovery coincided with flooding in the region, which washed large amounts of sediment into the sea. Noticing the water’s opaque appearance, Cook cleverly christened the area Cloudy Bay.
Cloudy Bay emphasises sustainable winemaking, integrating modern technology with traditional methods. Vine management is crafted carefully to preserve the land and enhance grape quality, reflecting the winery’s commitment to excellence.
Cloudy Bay has received numerous accolades globally, consistently praised in international wine circuits. Its commitment to quality and innovation has positioned it as a standard-bearer of New Zealand wine.
Today, Cloudy Bay not only captures the essence of Marlborough but also embodies New Zealand’s luxury to the world. The luxury of space and time, of intimate moments and nature’s rarest qualities.
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Erkin Hadimoglu
in the last weekThe Sauvignon Blanc is legendary, absolutely excellent. Make sure to make a reservation in advance. They have three tasting menus, all delightful.
Gary Kempster
in the last weekGreat museum, very well done and informative.
L L
in the last weekHighly disappointing experience. We came for the exclusive experience advertised on the menu available on their website, which featured wines from 2013 to 2022. Upon arrival, we discovered that the menu had changed and now only included wines from 2020 to 2025. After waiting at our table for six minutes, another couple arrived and was served immediately, with three staff members attending to them. After fifteen minutes without any service, we decided to leave. No one asked if something was wrong or acknowledged our departure. An hour later, we received an email asking about our experience, as if they had not noticed that we never received any service at all. We are truly disappointed by this lack of professionalism. As professionals in the luxury industry, we do not believe in treating clients differently, whether they are regular guests or first-time visitors.
Dov Oxenberg
a week agoWe ware there for a taste and enjoy
Wayne Pullin
a week agounfortunately our experience wasn't the best. Staff not friendly. We visited 5 other wineries on that day and all staff were so lovely and friendly.