Kevin Judd was the first winemaker in the famous Cloudy Bay area. His role as precursor has made him a reference point in terms of style for the wines of the Malborough region. He has also contributed to raising the reputation of these wines which have a nice minerality, the right acidity and an exuberant aromatic expression. By founding Greywacke in 2009, Kevin and Kimberley Judd realized a life-long dream of theirs. Located in Malborough, the northernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand, Greywacke's vineyard has the perfect climate: in one of the sunniest places on the planet, it is sheltered from the rain by the Richmond Ranges. Greywacke's name comes from the pebbles which are a part of the geological composition of the region. The domain works to achieve the perfect ripeness, with a different vision for each parcel, as the domain is scattered throughout the region. The two main varieties and Sauvignon blanc and Pinot Noir.

It would be a mistake to think that Chardonnay has already revealed all its secrets. Winemakers both in France and elsewhere are constantly demonstrating that this grape variety, when combined with a unique terroir, produces captivating wines. The Greywacke estate grows its Chardonnay vines right in the heart of New Zealand, on the slopes of the South Island. Most of the grapes come from the lower part of the Brancott Valley, where the soils are composed of clay and gravel. The remainder come from younger, alluvial soils dotted with river pebbles.
After destemming and pressing, the grapes are fermented in French oak barrels, a fifth of which are new. The wine is aged in the same containers for several months to deepen the cuvée’s aromatic structure and prepare it for a decade or so of cellaring.
This wood ageing is a wise choice as the wine exudes flavours ranging from sweet notes of white and citrus fruits to smoky notes suggesting oily fruit, sublimated by a powerful, salivating minerality.