On Friday 31 March, Cloudy Bay hosted Australia’s first ‘Wonderscape’. First held in New Zealand in 2022, Wonderscape by Cloudy Bay is a celebration of the art of entertaining and the joy of bringing people together to share good food and great wine.
Held at the stunning Villa Eliz at Elizabeth Bay on Sydney Harbour, Wonderscape was curated by a collective of Cloudy Bay’s creatives; award-winning chef Danielle Alvarez, style icon Kate Fowler and leading fashion designer Marina Afonina. They came together to create the ultimate long lunch, an ode to elevated entertaining filled with inspiring insider perspectives and a celebration of the exceptional wines and produce of New Zealand.
At the heart of this immersive wine, food and style experience was a suite of exceptional wines by Cloudy Bay, shown with their elegant new pack design, a reinterpretation of the famously minimalist label refined and embossed to trace the silhouette of the iconic Richmond Ranges. The wines were presented by Cloudy Bay’s own Kat Mason, who flew in from the winery for the occasion.
Cloudy Bay’s Wonderscape kicked off with a delicious flute of Cloudy Bay Pelorus - a taste of pure New Zealand - accompanied by an oyster workshop led by oyster ‘guru’ Peter Hilke, featuring freshly shucked Sydney Rock oysters.
Guests were then seated for lunch at a dream tablescape created by Cloudy Bay friend of the brand Kate Fowler. Raised in New Zealand, Kate took for her inspiration the stunning landscapes of the Marlborough region, with florals and greenery by Grandiflora. She shared with guests her organic process for creating an effortlessly beautiful table; simply gathering special character-filled pieces and assembling them in ways that are personal and eclectic.
She was joined by fashion icon Marina Afonina, founder of Albus Lumen - a label renowned for its minimalist chic - who shared her tips for stylish dressing as another way to bring individual flair to home entertaining.
For lunch, guests were treated to a three-course menuscape designed by Danielle Alvarez, thoughtfully crafted to enhance the notes of each of the paired Cloudy Bay wines. Danielle is one of Australia’s most talented chefs, bringing with her a wealth of experience garnered in some of the world’s great kitchens. Like Cloudy Bay wines, her food is inspired by nature and the artisans who grow and produce it.
Together with the winescape created by Cloudy Bay wine expert Kat Mason, Danielle’s menuscape took guests on a journey of discovery. A farm plate of marinated and grilled vegetables was served with a crisp, zesty Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2022; New Zealand salmon wrapped in fig leaf was paired with the ripe fruit and refined balance of Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2021, and as an epic and unexpected finish, Danielle’s profiteroles filled with honeycomb ice-cream with chocolate caramel sauce were married with Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2021, demonstrating this lesser known wine’s silky elegance and immense versatility.
To learn more about the art of entertaining, as well as tips and tricks from Cloudy Bay and its curators, please visit www.cloudybay.com/en-au/journal/ and to purchase Cloudy Bay in Australia, please visit here.