For decades, Cloudy Bay Vineyards has been nearly synonymous with New Zealand sauvignon blanc. The winery helped define the category with its first sauvignon blanc vintage in 1985, setting a benchmark that propelled the country’s wine industry onto the global stage.
But, as competition increases and more producers stake their claim in Marlborough, New Zealand’s largest wine region, Cloudy Bay, which was acquired by LVMH (LVMHF) in 2003, has been looking elsewhere to expand its identity. With newer investments in Central Otago further down on the South Island of New Zealand, Cloudy Bay is now making a deliberate move to establish itself as a serious player in pinot noir.
Pinot noir has been part of Cloudy Bay’s portfolio for years, but the focus has sharpened over the last decade. Central Otago’s extreme climate, with its short growing season and dramatic temperature swings, presents both opportunities and challenges.
“Pinot noir is what truly defines the region,” Nikolai St. George, Cloudy Bay’s winemaking director, tells Observer. “And the way it has developed here over time is a remarkable story.”
The move is not just about diversifying the portfolio, according to the winemakers. It’s also about ensuring long-term relevance in an increasingly competitive market. Demand for New Zealand sauvignon blanc has grown immensely, but the field is more crowded than ever. And once the undisputed leader, Cloudy Bay now faces competition from both long-established and newer producers. With sauvignon blanc accounting for 85 percent of all wine exports from New Zealand, standing out requires more than name recognition.
“Fueled by brands from New Zealand, sauvignon blanc is in higher demand than any other still wine varietal in the United States,” says Adam Rogers, research director for North America at market research firm IWSR. “Domestic U.S. producers have responded with their own sauvignon blanc offerings, creating an increasingly competitive market landscape.”
New Zealand isn’t immune to the challenges currently plaguing the global wine industry. In the 12 months leading up to June 2023, the country’s total wine exports hit a record $1.46 billion, but between July 2023 and January 2024, exports declined by 22 percent in value and 24 percent in volume, signaling a more turbulent market.
Sarah Campbell, IWSR’s head of research for Asia Pacific, also cites the volatility of New Zealand’s sauvignon blanc harvests—and therefore pricing—as recent challenges.
“Following mass shortages a few years ago, there is now a significant excess of wine sitting in tanks in New Zealand,” Campbell explains. “The upcoming harvest is expected to be large, and grape prices have dropped significantly. These decreases are unlikely to be passed on to consumers, and with more competitive pricing, South African sauvignon blanc, for example, has made good inroads, resonating with cash-strapped consumers.”
The vineyard area dedicated to pinot noir in Central Otago has grown from 141 hectares in 1989 to 5,678 hectares in 2023, a dramatic expansion that underscores the region’s rising prominence. The region’s wines were once known for being bold and fruit-driven, but winemaking styles have evolved.
“In the mid-2000s, the wines were big, putting the region on the map,” says Daniel Sorrell, Cloudy Bay’s operations winemaker. “Now, we aim for more elegance and site reflection. We’ve dialed back extraction, moved toward more whole-bunch fermentation, and fine-tuned our oak usage to let the purity of the fruit shine through.”
Cloudy Bay sources its pinot noir primarily from two key vineyard sites in Central Otago: Northburn and Calvert. “Northburn is our home base—it’s rugged, windswept and produces pinot noir that is structured and driven by spice and red fruit,” says Sorrell. “Calvert, by contrast, has more clay in the soil, lending a floral, silky elegance to the wines. The balance between these two sites is what makes our pinot so compelling.”
The end result, the winery hopes, is premium pinot noir that expresses both power and finesse, capturing the distinct characteristics of Central Otago’s terroir.
Expanding pinot noir production is also a strategic decision with an eye on the U.S. market. While New Zealand sauvignon blanc continues to perform well in the U.S., pinot noir presents a new opportunity for growth. American consumers are already familiar with the varietal, and Central Otago’s reputation has steadily increased internationally.
That said, there are risks. “In the United States, New Zealand is mostly known for its sauvignon blanc offerings,” Rogers says. “Many regions, especially domestic U.S. regions, are well known for producing pinot noir. This makes it difficult for offerings from new regions to gain market share.”
Additionally, scaling up pinot noir production in Central Otago is not as straightforward as it is in Marlborough. The climate is less forgiving, and yields are lower. “One of the biggest factors in Central Otago winemaking is the climate risk,” Sorrell says. “Spring frosts are a major concern every year. We have wind machines, we use water for frost protection, and, of course, we have helicopters.”
The use of helicopters for frost protection is not new, but it is essential. “We were actually the first in the region to use helicopters for frost protection,” David Hohnen, Cloudy Bay’s founder, tells Observer. “At the time, it was a bit of an experiment—we only had one helicopter available, and the pilot had to manually hover over the vineyard, sticking his hand out of the window to feel where the warm and cold air layers were. Now, it’s much more technical, and you’ll see hundreds of helicopters in use during frost season. But back then, it was a game changer.”
Beyond vineyard challenges, Cloudy Bay is navigating how to position its pinot noir in a market where France’s Burgundy region and California’s Sonoma district usually dominate the category. The goal for Cloudy Bay is not to compete with those regions, but to highlight what makes Central Otago unique.
“New Zealand pinot noir has a great opportunity as the prices of Burgundian pinot noir continue to ramp up and become inaccessible,” adds Campbell. “With many New Zealand winemakers producing pinot noir in the Burgundian style, but at more approachable price points, they have a winning formula.”
To put that into context, the average bottle of premium red wines like pinot noir costs between $20 and $30 when sold in the United States, according to Wine Folly. But Burgundian pinot noir can cost anywhere from $20 to $25,000 per bottle, and you’ll find many wine lists indicating that anything from Burgundy under $50 is a bargain. Numbers are more scarce for New Zealand pinot noir, given its a smaller and younger category, but on Wine.com, most bottles range from $20 to $50, with few priced above that range. And the most expensive available offering is Cloudy Bay’s Te Wahi pinot noir, made in Central Otago, at $100 per bottle.
The winery is still adapting its viticulture practices to refine its pinot noir approach. “In the early days, we were focused on maximizing ripeness, but now we take a much more precise approach, looking at canopy management, water stress and picking decisions with much greater attention to detail,” Sorrell says. “We’ve moved away from overly ripe fruit and are instead focusing on phenolic ripeness, which ensures the tannins are integrated and the wines have longevity.”
Cloudy Bay’s shift does not mean sauvignon blanc is becoming less important—that wouldn’t be realistic. For Campbell, New Zealand pinot noir is unlikely to reach the same success as New Zealand sauvignon blanc for two reasons.
“First, pinot noir, wherever it comes from, is a more niche style and typically has a higher price point, so it is unlikely to ever have the mass market appeal of sauvignon blanc,” Campbell says. “Second, for New Zealand pinot noir to reach the scale of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, it would require replanting most of New Zealand’s vineyards.”
As the industry navigates shifting demand and heightened competition, Cloudy Bay’s expanded focus on pinot noir simply signals a broader ambition: to be known for more than the wine that made it famous.
“Winemaking is about constant refinement, pushing boundaries while respecting the essence of each vineyard,” St. George says. “Pinot noir from this region continues to gain recognition on the global stage, and what excites us the most is the potential we still have to explore.”