Dog Point

23 Mar 2004 (The Age, Epicure)

Review Part 1

Cloudy Bay has lost two important wine men, but the outlook is bright for both sides.

There’s a couple of ways to read the recent departure of two of the leading wine men behind New Zealand's most celebrated and phenomenally successful wine label, Cloudy Bay. One, they got a better offer. Two, there was some kind of mid-life crisis involved.

Both are probably correct. ''We'd both reached the magical 5-0 and thought: 'S--! If we don't do it now, we never will,''' says former Cloudy Bay viticulturist Ivan Sutherland, speaking on behalf of himself and his ex-Cloudy Bay winemaking partner and friend, James Healy. That explains the mid-life mid-career crisis.

And the better offer? To be their own bosses, which they did on January 1 when they became the proprietors of a bit of Marlborough dirt, Dog Point Vineyards.

The Sutherland-Healy departure, only months after the retirement of Cloudy Bay founder David Hohnen, gave the impression of unsettled times at the Marlborough super-winery.

It was left to Kevin Judd, Hohnen’s cool-headed lieutenant and Cloudy Bay managing director, to pick up the pieces. ''The departure of our three senior people has not been sudden or a surprise for any of us,'' he says.

Apparently, Sutherland and Healy began talking of a Cloudy Bay break-out as early as three years ago, and Hohnen flagged his retirement a full 12 months before leaving.

With early notice, Judd was able to hire Eveline Fraser in 2001 to work alongside Healy, and Sioban Harnett was given a similar amount of time with Sutherland. Such a smooth transition is a rarity in the wine industry, even rarer given the high-profile international reputation of the wine company involved. But then the original Cloudy Bay team — Hohnen, Judd and Sutherland — never had delusions of grandeur.

Judd wishes his friends well. For their part, Sutherland and Healy say they see no reason why Cloudy Bay should suffer from their departure. ''The brand is bigger than the people,'' says Healy.

Maybe. But still there's a strong sense of deja vu when looking at the selection of wines coming out under Dog Point.

Continued in next review.......

Jeni Port