Meet our producers: Greywacke
When it comes to New Zealand iconic winemaking, Kevin Judd comes to mind for many winelovers. Greywacke is his family winery and has been nestled into a valley in the famed Marlborough wine region since 2009. However, of course Kevin’s wine making journey did not start then by any means. It spans decades and countries.
Kevin is English born, but for a while he called Australia his home and it was there he studied winemaking. It was in Australia he got his first wine winemaking job too. From there though, he ended up being the winemaker for Cloudy Bay. From the very beginning and for 25 years it was Kevin Judd at the helm of that star. It was wines such as those from Cloudy Bay that has shaped Marlborough wine history. Particularly by putting the region on the world stage as a benchmark for New Zealand wine.
It could be said that those wines also changed the world’s understanding and recognition of Sauvignon Blanc as a grape variety. And with Greywacke, Kevin continues to push the world’s understanding of that grape to greater appreciation.
Kevin Judd is undoubtedly one of New Zealand’s winemaking leaders.
Did you know?
Greywacke (pronounced ‘grey wacky’) is a specific type of rock. It is a type of dark coloured and hard sandstone which forms the bedrock under the Judd family vineyards.
A thirst for innovation and that great terroir!
Greywacke’s success is based on Kevin Judd’s drive to explore just what white wines can do. Well, that and that Marlborough gravel. It could be said ‘Marlborough rocks!’ And Sauvignon Blanc does well in gravel, so it is a great place to start. Add two other grape varieties that love that type of soil, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and you understand just why the region attracts winemakers like Kevin.
As the years go on, more and more of Greywacke’s wines are organically grown which is just another reason to love them. However, Judd’s minimal intervention wines are intriguing too. For instance, his extended lees contact techniques introduce savouriness and texture. And he also produces some of his wines using wild yeast fermentation to develop that savouriness and texture even further.
In our range, this is particularly noticeable in the Greywacke Chardonnay. This Chardonnay is barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts and around 10+ months of barrel maturation. It is polished, creamy and complex while still showing intensity and freshness.
The Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc in our range has been created to show how the grape shines without adornment. This wine is fermented in stainless steel with specifically chosen yeasts. It has had about 3 months lees contact to add some spicy cream.
