Cloudy Bay Pelorus Sparkling NV is one of New Zealand’s finest traditional method sparkling wines — a Chardonnay-led blend with Pinot Noir, crafted by winemaker Nick Lane in Marlborough with two years on lees, a portion of base wine held in large oak vats and small French oak barriques, and a deep resource of reserve wines. Fresh apple crisp flavours underpinned by nutty yeast complexity, savoury tones from the Pinot Noir component, and characters of grilled bread and brioche. Deliciously crisp with toasty, creamy complexity and a lingering nutty finish. Richly textured yet dry.
Appearance
Bright and luminous with fine, persistent bubbles — the hallmark of a traditional method Marlborough sparkling wine aged on lees for two years, with the clarity and precision that careful riddling, disgorgement, and a perfectly gauged dosage of 7.5g/L deliver.
Aroma
A fresh combination of Chardonnay-led citrus and pear fruits — underpinned by savoury tones from the Pinot Noir component and characters reminiscent of grilled bread and brioche. Ripe apples, nougat, toast, and cookies and cream, with the layered, biscuity complexity that barrel fermentation and two years on lees produce.
Palate
Deliciously crisp with toasty, creamy complexity — apple, spice, and nougat with bubbles super bright and coursing through the wine. Refreshment and complexity hand in hand, with great energy and a lingering nutty finish. Richly textured yet with a dry sophistication — the dosage of 7.5g/L perfectly gauged to keep the finish refreshing without searing dryness.
Pairs With
Fresh oysters, grilled fish, soft cheeses, smoked salmon, and canapés — or simply as the perfect apéritif for any occasion that deserves one of New Zealand’s best value and most accomplished sparkling wines. Serve well chilled.
Reviews
- “Savoury, appealing perfume, ripe apples, nougat, toast, cookies and cream, just lovely, righteous even. Complex and interesting. Palate has refreshment and complexity hand in hand, and great energy. Flavours of apple, spice, nougat again – bubbles super bright and coursing through the wine. Real good.” — 92 Points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
- “Uniting the layered, biscuity complexity of a little old barrel fermentation, up to two years on lees and a deep resource of reserve wines, with a core of lemon, pear and golden delicious apple fruit and a taut tail of tense acidity. A low dosage of 7.5g/L of sweetness is perfectly gauged to keep the finish refreshing. Pelorus is now one of New Zealand’s best value sparklings.” — 92 Points, Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste Edition
- “This chardonnay-dominant, traditional-method sparkling wine spends two years on lees before being disgorged. Although pinot noir occupies a minority role in the blend, it asserts itself with rich chocolate-like flavours and added palate weight. They’ve got the dosage perfectly right — it’s dry, but not searing dry.” — 93 Points, Bob Campbell, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine
- “This is a fresh, lively sparkler, with airy, white flower notes offset by alluring stone fruit characters. Firm acidity and impressive length complete the picture.” — 4 Stars, Christelle Guibert & Mark O’Halleron, Decanter
