#293 So you wanna be a rockstar? Greywacke Wines

Rock stars - When you are part of a group that makes it big you become a rock star, it is often very difficult to go it alone, but that doesn't stop you trying.  Paul McCartney starts off in the Beatles and then ends up a successful solo artist, and Ringo... well... didn't.  For every Robbie Williams - worldwide acclaim and a ten year solo career -  there is a Gary Barlow who tries it solo, fails and then goes back to the group that made him.

And so the names Kevin Judd and Cloudy Bay are entwined together in the annals of wine history.  Since their split, after 25 years together, Judd has gone on to form his own company, Greywacke.  So is Kevin Judd a McCartney or is he going to end up narrating Thomas the Tank Engine like Ringo?

Named after the rounded greywacke river stones found in the soils of the vineyards in Rapaura, Greywacke was registered as a wine brand in 1993 with the idea that one day Judd may make his own wine.  A few days ago, I met with Kevin Judd and tasted his wines and he is firmly in the McCartney camp.

2010 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc
A very noticable gooseberry aroma, with hints of elderflower and tomato.  Tropical fruit on the palate, with a creamy texture from the small percentage that is barrel fermented.  A little heat on the finish of this wine, but still, it is classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  8/10 £14.99

2009 Greywacke Wild Sauvignon
I've never liked TeKoko from Cloudy Bay, and I wasn't overly keen on this.  It is just the style of oak fermented Kiwi Sauvignon that just doesn't float my boat and nothing against this wine in particular.  You get a creamy tropical fruit spice up front, with a sherbet element too.  It is a nice oaked Sauvignon with hints of ginger coming on the back of the palate.  A very clean finish and for £22.99, if you like this sort of wine, it is excellent.  It is definitely a food wine and if  7/10 for me, 9/10 for everyone else!

2009 Greywacke Chardonnay
Kevin Judd is not releasing this until October as he says "the oak isn't integrated enough", and I agree.  It started off beautifully, light spice elements mixed with a little oak and stunning tropical fruit.  Then a lot of cereals came through on the palate, some mango pith too.  But then it had an oak dominant mid palate, fat and a bit disjointed.  But then grapefruit comes in and balances out the oak on the finish.  I likened this to a pretty girl with a spot!  You know that the spot will go and she will be 100% beautiful again, but at the moment there is a small flaw.  Kevin Judd didn't like that!  7/10 £22.99

2009 Greywacke Pinot Noir
Quite savoury, with a meaty element.  Light cherry with a bit of violet coming through.  The palate is gentle, well integrated alcohol with lovely redcurrant and raspberry flavours.  A touch of spice and prickles of alcohol on the palate.  Really really tasty but a touch pricey.  9/10 £29.99

2009 Greywacke Late Harvest Gewurztraminer
Soft and gentle with a lovely oriental spice, peach and rosewater.  There is a peachy element on the palate, some spice and great acidity and balance.  It isn't too sweet which is a really really good thing.  8/10

Greywacke's range is, without exception, a great range of wines that show balance, varietal style and, most importantly, a sense of place.  You can tell these are from New Zealand yet they don't have any of the flaws that many Kiwi wines now have.  Mind you, they should taste like Kiwi wines as it was possibly Kevin Judd who was instrumental in deciding what that style was.

Next post: From rock stars to the wine equivalent of Vanilla Ice - Oyster Bay range tasting!

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