Greywacke emerges from the river bed

BY DEBORAH WALTON AND PETER MORICE

A few months ago we wrote of winemaker Kevin Judd's departure from Cloudy Bay and the creation of his new Marlborough label, Greywacke.

To re-cap, Greywacke is the name Kevin and his wife, Kimberley, registered back in the early 1990s, thinking they might use it one day. The source of their inspiration was the ubiquitous and easily recognised round greywacke river stone – of which there were many in the Judds' vineyard.

Kevin crafts his Greywacke wines at the Dog Point winery, the facility made available by his good friends and colleagues Ivan Sutherland and James Healy.

Kevin has based his portfolio on two varieties, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. The sauvignon blanc is produced in two very different styles – a crisper Marlborough style made in a reasonably straightforward manner and a "wild sauvignon" that involves a great deal more hands-on effort by the winemaker. The 09 Wild Sauvignon is not due for release until 2011 and the wait will be painfully long for those of us already familiar with Kevin's ability to craft an altogether richer and more complex sauvignon blanc.

Aside from the core range of three wines, there will also be some limited-edition releases of chardonnay, riesling, gewurztraminer and pinot gris. We were rapt to see the inclusion of gewurztraminer and riesling, two varieties that deliver fabulous flavours – and Marlborough is capable of producing some really fine examples.

The Greywacke branding is distinctive, showcasing Kevin's skill as a fine art photographer.

The distinctive close-up shot of a vine leaf will become a signature in itself.

The fruit used to make Greywacke wines is sourced from various vineyards around the Brancott Valley and central Wairau plain – specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick and Rapaura.

Those young alluvial soils in Rapaura and Renwick contain high proportions of those immortalised Greywacke river stones.

Despite the recession, Blind River Wines has posted strong growth and was named "fastest-growing retail or consumer products business" for the Canterbury and upper South Island region at the recent Deloitte Fast 50 Awards.

The Deloitte Fast 50 is the only index that identifies and celebrates the fastest-growing companies in the country, helping to identify the success factors that drive company growth and help New Zealand sustain international competitive advantage.

Blind River Wines exports 95 per cent of its production to overseas markets including Britain, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands.

Spokesperson Debbie Sutton says growth is only one aspect of business success and this needs to be carefully managed to ensure the business remains profitable and inventories are not carried over from vintage to vintage.

"We neatly rolled on to our current vintages," she says, "2009 sauvignon blanc and 2008 pinot noir, straight after bottling in September, having sold through the previous year's production."

The Deloitte Fast 50 is open to all New Zealand-registered operations that have been in business for at least three years and operate revenues of at least $250,000 in 2006-07.

Greywacke 09 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Colour: very pale straw with green flashes.

Aroma: complex and powerful, combining sweaty tropical – and in particular pineapple – notes with lime, mineral and prickly herbal aromas. There's a floral whiff and we noted some tangy tamarillo but thought the comment was a bit unusual – until we read the tasting notes and discovered we weren't imagining things.

Taste: Classic, elegant – delivering a good balance between typically brisk Marlborough flavours and those richer tropical notes that round out the taste and add richness and complexity.

Tingly acids and a blend of ginger, melon and citrus combine with a strong flint/mineral line that runs right across the palate. A warming, zesty wine with a moreish citrus/pineapple finish and flinty aftertaste.

A weighty, complex wine that still delivers that refreshing, cleansing "Marlborough" palate. I know it was very good; Peter snaffled up the bottle with nary an "I'll have that" at the end of the tasting. I must be quicker next time.

Price: $25.95

Thornbury 07 Hawke's Bay Merlot

Colour: Dark ruby red on a black background, some flashes of purple.

Aroma: White pepper, ripe plums and blackberries in abundance. This rich, port-like aroma is complex and interesting – we picked out some rich bacon notes, cedar box and fresh herbal notes.

Taste: Grippy tannins and an enticing blend of plum and barnyard flavours set the scene.

This big, robust wine is very concentrated and has exceptional stature for a merlot.

The rich, ripe taste of plums is complemented by chocolate, tea and cedar box flavours that become more herbal towards the finish.

The drying, woody finish and an aftertaste with incredibly lingering fruit power and herbal grunt leave us in no doubt that this is a wine perfect for that big barbecue steak or a roast of beef.

Price: This wine is exciting stuff and such good value it brings tears to the eyes – $19.99.

- The Marlborough Express