Andrew Bailey and his Dutch wife founded Misty Cove in 2008. The name is inspired by the mist that often hangs in the Marlborough fjord coast. He owns 15 hectares of vineyards in this New Zealand region. He came to the Netherlands in 2005, initially for a short visit. He met his wife, Marieke, and began importing New Zealand wine. This led to his own wine project, which quickly proved to be a huge success. Together, they decided to seriously pursue Misty Cove in 2011. By purchasing their own vineyards, production grew to 250,000 bottles annually. The family moved to New Zealand, where the production of unique and distinctive wines now takes center stage.
The Pinot Noir grapes are sourced from a single vineyard in the southern Marlborough Valleys, where soils contain significant amounts of silt and gravel, and often higher levels of clay. The climate is generally cooler than in the Wairau Valley, with lower rainfall. Sourced from four traditional organic Pinot Noir clones, the wine was made with a light touch, minimal handling, and a little exposure to French oak, with the aim of early and easy drinking.
The result is brightly fruity and appealingly fragrant, with a bouquet revealing dark cherry, raspberry, floral, mixed spice, and almond notes, followed by a juicy palate that is beautifully rounded and smooth. The wine offers sweet berry flavors with an elegant, spicy complexity, with a long, smooth finish.
