The NV Pelorus Blanc de Blancs receives 3 years of aging on its lees and contains 10% reserve wine. It reveals delicate floral, citrus and honey toast aromas with an underlying creaminess. With racy acidity and a somewhat restrained tension on the palate, this is an elegant style with a long zesty finish. Drinking now, it should keep to 2014. I generally agree with Neal Martin’s previous comment about some of Cloudy Bay’s wines produced over the last couple of vintages perhaps being “a notch behind other Marlborough producers”. However, I did find some very good wines to recommend during my recent visit. Trust me, my visit was not typically befitting of the fanfare laid-on by a Champagne House with the soft light, foie gras canapes and gentle tinkle of classical music playing in the background. White winemaker Tim Heath and I stood tasting in a stoically sterile white tasting room and deconstructed his recent work over the course of just an hour or so. I’ll cut to the chase and state that in the cold, hard, clinical light of that tasting room, I think that Tim is making some very positive moves towards filling some very big shoes.Importer: Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 888-7575

Yeast, honey, apple nose. Attractive Pinot flavour, good, rounded, creamy fruit. Full flavour. Stylish. Balanced.