Monkey Bay

Legend has it that in the late 19th century, an Englishman visiting the Marlborough coast of New Zealand’s South Island reported seeing a monkey cavorting near a small bay within the larger (and now renowned) Cloudy Bay. Locals were skeptical because monkeys are not indigenous to New Zealand. The Brit, however, was adamant, so competing theories arose to explain the simian sighting.

Might the little imp have escaped from an American whaling ship that docked in Marlborough after stops in Africa or Indonesia? Or did the Englishman, addled by too much sun, or too much drink, mistake the native kiwi bird for a chimp? Whatever the real story may be, the idyllic spot became known as "Monkey Bay"—and so it is called to this day.

More than a century later, a few clever Kiwis put two-and-two together and from lush sauvignon blanc vineyards that had been planted nearby, they created a wonderfully fresh, world-class white wine called…Monkey Bay.

Like most secluded, pristine coastal areas in New Zealand,which often lie undiscovered by the majority of people, Monkey Bay is a very small, yet beautiful location tucked away on the Marlborough Coast. In close proximity to Monkey Bay you will find Rarangi, one of Nobilo Wine Group’s largest Marlborough vineyard sites. The Rarangi vineyard was planted with Sauvignon Blanc vines in 2000.

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