Kevin Judd from the Greywacke winery in Marlborough, New Zealand, may not sound familiar to many readers, but Kevin is one of the pioneer winemakers in Marlborough. He was born in England and raised in Australia where he studied winemaking. In 1983 he moved to New Zealand and was the founding winemaker at Cloudy Bay, which all New Zealand wine lovers should know. He worked there for the first 25 vintages, then in 2009, he established Greywacke with his wife. The name of the winery, Greywacke, comes from this prolific rock type in New Zealand. Kevin is also a photographer and all the pictures on the winery’s wine labels come from his photographs. The winery is kept at a small-scale with only seven people managing the winery; Kevin, his wife and son, and four other employees. Truly a family affair.
A Talk with Kevin Judd
I was invited to a learning session with Kevin where he told us about the winery, their vineyards throughout the region, his winemaking style, and then were treated to taste through Greywacke’s portfolio of wines. Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are the key grape varieties for Greywacke, but they also produce Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Chardonnay wines. New Zealand is in an active fault zone which has created a mountain range extending from the north to the south ends of the country. A spine through the country, with most of the wineries located on the eastern side of the mountain range. Weather systems tend to move from the west toward the east, with the mountains making a barrier for the rain-laden clouds, giving you a drier eastern side of New Zealand which is beneficial to grape growing.
According to Kevin, “All vineyards are sustainably managed with substantial and increasing proportions coming from organically farmed sites. Greywacke is accredited with AMW status (Appellation Marlborough Wine), ensuring provenance, authenticity and integrity. Minimal intervention winemaking is adopted to create wines with personality and individuality, aiming for subtle, ripe, delicious drinking styles. Wild (indigenous) yeast fermentations are used extensively to incorporate savouriness to the flavour profile and build on the structure and intensity of mouthfeel.”
Kevin noted that temperatures in the Marlborough region in the summer rarely exceed 30 degrees C, but they get very intense sunlight. This intense sunlight plus the cool evenings are some factors combined give the unique aromas and flavours of the Sauvignon Blanc wines made in New Zealand that cannot be replicated elsewhere. He uses wild yeasts to ferment their wines to some degree and tries to keep human intervention as little as possible.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – Made in the classic Marlborough style, primarily stainless steel fermented. He aims for the ripe end of the spectrum for this Sauvignon Blanc wine. Fruit expression is the goal. This wine has a light, bright lemon colour. Bright fresh aromas of jalapeno pepper and lemon. It is dry, medium-minus body, with a smooth and lightly round mouthfeel. Light flavours of jalapeno and citrus. Medium-plus acidity. 
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon 2022 – This is Greywacke’s signature white wine. It is made by fermenting with wild yeasts and is aged over 6 months in French oak barriques. A very hands-off approach. The antithesis of their Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc wine production. It is then transferred out of the barrels and left on yeast lees for a further 6 months. Two-thirds of the wine may go through malolactic fermentation to help soften the acidity in the wine.
This wine has a medium-intensity lemon colour with a green tint. Light aromas of toast and jalapeno peppers. Dry, medium-plus body. It has medium-plus acidity and leaves a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Citrus, green fruit and light oak on the palate. Medium-plus length with tart citrus and green fruit on the finish.
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon 2016 – This was a bonus wine, which showed how well this wine can age. It has a medium-intensity bright lemon colour. It is quite toasty on the nose, along with vanilla, citrus, and pineapple aromas. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. You get tart citrus, pineapple, and sweet spices on the palate. There is also a touch of flint. Medium-plus length. – 
Greywacke Chardonnay 2022 – Their Chardonnay grapes come from a single vineyard. It is fermented with wild yeast and then aged in French oak barriques for 11 months. Their Chardonnay wines go through 100% malolactic fermentation. This wine has a deep lemon colour. Medium-plus toast and pineapple on the nose. It is full body, dry, with a smooth, buttery mouthfeel. Lighter acidity. Pineapple and butterscotch on the palate. Quality. –
Greywacke Chardonnay 2016 – Another bonus wine for us to sample. It has a medium-plus bright lemon colour. Light aromas of pineapple, butterscotch, and flint with more on the palate. This wine is dry with a smooth, thick, buttery mouthfeel. Medium-minus acidity. Sweet spices on the mid-palate to the finish. An elegant wine. –
Greywacke Chardonnay 2019 – One last bonus wine which shows the quality of the Chardonnay wines from Greywacke. This wine has a medium-intensity, bright lemon colour. Lith aromas of pineapple, butterscotch and toast. It is dry, light-bodied with a smooth, round mouthfeel. Buttery texture. Pineapple, butterscotch and tart citrus on the palate. Medium length.
Greywacke Pinot Gris 2023 – Kevin wants the fruit to be really ripe, almost verging on late harvest before picking the grapes for this wine. 75% of the juice is fermented in barrel with wild yeast and 25% is fermented in stainless steel tanks with cultured yeast. Just before fermentation is complete, the wines are combined to finish fermentation. This wine has a light lemon colour. Light-intensity aromas of sweet stone fruits but also a savoury component. It has a light body, with a soft, round mouthfeel Medium sweetness. Honey, sweet ripe stone fruits, along with a touch of sweet spices and some savoriness Medium-plus length. A touch spicy on the finish. –
Greywacke Riesling 2023 – The grapes for this wine are not totally ripe to give more crunchy acidity to the wine and are whole bunch pressed. The wine is aged partly in stainless steel and old oak barrels. It has 20 g/l of residual sugar. This wine has a lighter lemon colour. Light petrol and apple on the nose. Medium-minus sweetness with a round, smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. Crisp apple, light petrol and citrus, plus touches of oak and sweet spices. Medium-plus length with some tartness on the finish. 
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Greywacke Pinot Noir 2021 – Kevin feels that Marlborough Pinot Noir is coming of age with the vines now 20 years old. This is the only red wine that Greywacke produces. The wine is made with a range of Pinot Noir clones combined, rather than making a single clone Pinot Noir. Maybe the next generation will learn more about the clones and how they represent themselves, and you will see a single clone Pinot Noir from Greywacke, but for now, the blend of clones is quite fine.
This wine has a medium-intensity, clear garnet colour. It is very aromatic, showing floral and red fruits, plus a touch of sweet spice. Beautiful aromas. It is dry, medium body with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium tannins and lighter acidity. Ripe red fruits, red cherries, floral, and sweet spices on the palate. I also picked up some licorice bitterness. Medium-plus length with fine tannins to the finish.
Greywacke Botrytis Pinot Gris 2023 – 100 g/l of residual sugar for this wine. It is not made every year. This wine has a bright, deep lemon colour. Light, but deep aromas of honeyed and dried stone fruits. Medium-plus body, with a smooth, thick and lean mouthfeel. Medium level of sweetness. Dried stone fruits, honey and a touch of marmalade on the palate. Deep, ripe flavours. The wine has medium acidity. Medium-plus length finishing dry. –
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
These are truly exceptional wines that show off the terroir of the region. Small-scale, minimal intervention wines. Do not hesitate to purchase these wines as they are all of top quality.
The Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is available at BC Liquor stores. The Greywacke Pinot Noir 2021 is available at Everything Wine stores and will soon list the Pinot Gris. I have been informed that Liberty Wines Point Grey will carry the Wild Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and Legacy Liquor Store located in Olympic Village will carry the Wild Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and Botrytis Pinot Gris.
