Producer: GREYWACKE
Origin: Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: Harvested at full ripeness and pressed without destemming. Then cold set. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aged on lees in stainless steel tanks for 4 months.
* A method of temporarily storing the juice at a low temperature to settle it and avoid temperature changes until fermentation, which enhances the clear flavor and aging ability.
JAN code: 4582672764078
2023 Vintage Rating
James Suckling...92 points
Reference evaluation
Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines - Highest Award 5 Stars (2011-2014)
Wine Spectator: 95 points (highest score ever for all NZ SBs, 10th in the 2023 TOP 100) (2022), 94 points (2021), 92 points (selected in the WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 WINES 2012) (2011)
James Suckling...93 points (2021)
Vinos...93 points (2021)
By leaving a small amount of sugar in the wine, the gorgeous aroma has depth. However, the gorgeous flavor of the fruit comes to the forefront and there is no strong sense of residual sugar. The refreshing citrus aroma of grapefruit and lemon is accompanied by nuances of peach, mango, white pepper and herbal notes, giving it a moderate level of complexity within its freshness. In the mouth, the citrus flavor and full-bodied fruit are supported by crisp acidity and minerals, maintaining a balance that continues into the aftertaste. We can confidently recommend this as one of New Zealand's finest Sauvignon Blancs.
Greywacke is a brand launched in 2009 by Kevin Judd, who served as chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay, New Zealand's leading Sauvignon producer, for about 25 years since its founding. Cloudy Bay is one of the leading wineries in the Marlborough area, which has made the high quality of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc known to the world. Cloudy Bay produces wines of a higher level of perfection than Cloudy Bay, thanks to the reliable technical skills that have supported the quality for about 25 years at the winery and the careful work that is possible only as a small producer. The brand name Greywacke was given to the first vineyard that Kevin and his wife Kimberly acquired. The vineyards contain a lot of Greywacke, a sedimentary rock that can be found all over New Zealand's mountains, rivers, and seas. Kevin had always wanted to use this name to represent New Zealand as a wine if he ever created his own brand, so he registered the name "Greywacke" at the end of 1993. His wish finally came true in 2009 when "Greywacke" was released.
Kevin Judd Profile
Kevin was born in England and grew up in Australia. He studied winemaking at Roseworthy University (now part of the University of Adelaide), known worldwide for its high-level winemaking department, and after graduating, he began working as a winemaker at Chateau Reynella, known as Australia's oldest winery. In 1983, he moved to New Zealand and worked in winemaking at Serax. In 1985, he became the chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay when the winery was founded, and supported the quality of Marlborough's best Sauvignon for about 25 years. In 2009, at the turning point of his life at the age of 50, he left Cloudy Bay and started his own brand, GREYWACKE.
The amazing vineyard that put New Zealand Sauvignon on the map
Greywacke makes wine from its own vineyards in the Brancott area of the Wairau Valley, as well as from the same contract farmer as Cloudy Bay in the Wairau Valley. In addition to managing the vineyards themselves, they are also perfectly managed by Ivan Sutherland, the owner of Dock Point and one of New Zealand's most famous wine growers. Ivan Sutherland, like Kevin, is also originally from Cloudy Bay. He rented out high-quality vineyards to Cloudy Bay and was the person in charge of cultivation at Cloudy Bay. The Wairau Valley is blessed with long hours of sunshine in New Zealand, has a marine climate, and has a mild climate from summer to autumn, making it an ideal place for Sauvignon Blanc, which slowly ripens without the heat robbing the acidity and aromatic flavors of the grapes. Kevin's biggest concern in grape cultivation is the timing of the harvest. While Cloudy Bay aimed to produce a fresh, herbal style wine, Greywacke aims for a higher level of perfection with a combination of "freshness and depth," and harvests are made slightly later than Cloudy Bay.