This year's Cloudwalker sees a more delicate extraction than typical, making it more flexible interms of end use and food matching. Again its a single vineyard expression looking into the stony, sandy, windswept fringes of the Dry River southwest of town.The Pinot Gris brings colour, spice and stone fruit dimensions, modest levels of Riesling engage further spice and citrus lift. Beyond this a subtle gift of Pinot rose smooths the complexion ever so slightly. This is a wine to enjoy immediately or sometime inthe next 5-6 years. Lean toward aromatic curries, brown butter, nuts and mandarin, green peppercorn, white fish & caper's, that kind of direction for food matches.
--------THE PRODUCER--------
Cambridge Road
Cambridge Road Vineyard is a small family farmed estate established in 1986. We focus our time and energy on perfecting and beautifying our land and cultivating it according to natural biodynamic and eco-farming principles. We believe in minimal intervention winemaking, low yields, and healthy living wines. We seek purity of voice in all our wines with a respect for the taste of place. We source organic fruit from other vineyards within the region and occasionally further afield to offer a wider selection of taste.
--------THE REGION--------
Martinborough
The Martinborough wine region is located in the southern point of the North Island of New Zealand. Martinborough though a small wine district in size, it makes up for this in quality and style of wines crafted. The wines clearly reflect their unique blend of topography, ancient geology, climate and human endeavours. Distinctively boutique; the wines from Martinborough achieve international acclaim for intensity of flavour - old world style with new world flair - creating superb hand-crafted wines.
Early settler’s planted vines in 1883 - falling victim to the temperance movement in 1905. Martinborough’s modern wine history dates from the late 1970’s with plantings by producers Dry River, Martinborough Vineyard, Ata Rangi and Chifney which is now Margrain Vineyard.
The Martinborough wine region is actually one of three fine wine sub-regions of the Wairarapa; linked by the power of the Ruamahanga River which flows from the Tararua mountains to Palliser Bay. Meeting Lake Wairarapa, which inspired the region’s Maori name, meaning Glistening Waters. A semi-maritime climate sheltered by the westerly Tararua Ranges, and exposed to strong, devigorating southerly winds. Martinborough experiences cool springs and autumns plus hot summers with cool nights: this combination of pronounced diurnal differences and a long growing season results in intense varietal character and complexity.
