Greywacke Marlborough Chardonnay
A seductive combination of pink grapefruit, lemon curd and candied orange rind intertwined with aromas of toasted hazelnuts and hot buttered brioche. This elaborate fusion of sweet-scented aromatics and a smoky, nutty savouriness carries through onto a wonderfully dry, flinty palate, with great texture, a tight structure and terrific ageing potential.
Greywacke was created in 2009 by Kevin Judd, chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay from its inception for 25 years and instrumental in the international recognition which Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc enjoys now. The name ‘Greywacke’ was adopted by Kevin for his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura in recognition of the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard, a sedimentary rock which is widely found in Marlborough. Kevin Judd is also New Zealand’s finest wine photographer and has recently published a book ‘The Landscape of New Zealand Wine’.
A relatively wet and mild spring ensured that soil moisture levels were well topped up and the growing season raced off to a frost free start. Late spring was ideal, with intermittent rain creating perfect growing conditions, but cool periods during December resulted in variable fruit set. The new year brought sunny, settled weather and the district received no significant rainfall for the first two months. In typical Marlborough fashion, the hills to the south became parched and the very dry conditions necessitated careful management of water resources. Rain just after harvest had commenced in early March evoked considerable anxiety, but thankfully more settled weather followed. The harvest ran smoothly with all varieties reaching optimum ripeness, albeit slightly lower yields than expected. In all, an excellent, very dry season that has provided superb quality and concentration.
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Greywacke Marlborough Chardonnay
£34.00 a bottle
14 in stock
Greywacke (pronounced Greywacky) is the Marlborough label of the Judd family and the name of New Zealand’s
most abundant bedrock. These understated grey river stones are found throughout Marlborough’s rivers and
alluvial vineyard soils. Established in 2009, Greywacke is truly a family affair and while the company now exports its
wines all over the world, the ethos is very much ‘keep it simple and hands-on’ with a small, dedicated team running
the company from Greywacke HQ in the heart of Marlborough’s Omaka Valley. The fruit is sourced from mature
vineyards in prime viticultural sites to optimise the potential afforded by Marlborough’s sunny South Pacific climate.
All vineyards are sustainably managed with substantial and increasing proportions coming from organically farmed
sites. Crop levels are restricted to enhance concentration of flavour and a long, cool growing season produces fruit
with incredible varietal intensity and bright, natural acidity. Meticulous canopy management regimes are employed
to provide sufficient fruit exposure to deliver ripeness of flavour, textural richness and optimum acid balance.
Greywacke is accredited with AMW status (Appellation Marlborough Wine), ensuring provenance, authenticity
and integrity
“Chardonnay has often been dubbed ‘the red-wine drinker’s white wine’. Chardonnays are usually (although not always, especially cheap models) fully dry, as are all reds with any aspirations to quality. Chardonnay’s typically mouthfilling body and multi-faceted flavours are another obvious red-wine parallel.
Broaching a top New Zealand Chardonnay at less than two years old can be infanticide – the finest of the 2013s will offer excellent drinking from 2016 onwards. If you must drink Chardonnay when it is only a year old, it makes sense to buy one of the cheaper, less complex wines specifically designed to be enjoyable in their youth.
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