At the Sugar Club, spicy kangaroo salad and a savory Sauvignon Blanc are essential elements to a great epicurean evening. While visiting family in London, my fiancée and I were eager patrons at one of London's trendiest restaurants, The Sugar Club. I could go on about the pleasing wait staff, the unique wine list, and the décor that epitomizes Philippe Stark’s minimalist mantra, but I will stay focused to the task at hand, wine.

My savory taste buds told me that only one unique wine could compliment the unusual flavors of spicy kangaroo salad with mint, peanut and chili dressing. I perused the very "Euro" wine list and listened to my buds. They encouraged me to select a wine that possessed herbaceous qualities, showed signs of citrus, and bordered on the grassy side. Quite frankly, once I spotted a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc by Cloudy Bay Vineyards, all the other options disappeared into the haze.

The finest Sauvignon Blanc’s in the world are produced in New Zealand (with South Africa finishing second). This assertion was proven in 1985, when Cloudy Bay released their first vintage. This New Zealand jewel gained quick acclaim, first in England then on the continent. In the years that followed Cloudy Bay had and continues to summon a cult-like following. The news has spread to America, and in, turn America has become the second largest importer of this New Zealand wine.

One of the most recognizable characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc is its piercing aroma. Cloudy Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc has an intense floral and fruit aroma or what wine lovers call a fruity nose. The wine is luscious in the mouth with a crisp acidity. There’s some serious super ripe fruit to be tasted here, like gooseberries, citrus flavors and tropical fruits. By adding a small amount of Semillon, fig undertones are introduced to the palate. Overall, this white wine has pizzazz.

It’s no surprise that Cloudy bay’s outstanding marks caught the attention of Champagne supernova Veuve Clicquot. When VC (no pun intended) desired to expand their "spirit" portfolio to include wine, they turned to Cloudy Bay and their Australian sister winery Cape Mentelle. Though they are part of the Veuve Clicquot (LVMH) group, the original founders of the winery, Hohen and Judd, still maintain full control of how the vintages are produced.

It is said that the explorer Captain Cook discovered the area called the Wairau Valley in 1770, where Cloudy Bay Vineyard is located. If you see Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc on the shelf, buy it and do some exploring yourself.

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