Greywacke

Marlborough

Established in 2009, Greywacke (pronounced Greywacky) is the Marlborough label of the Judd family and the name of New Zealand’s most abundant bedrock.

Owner Kevin Judd is one of Marlborough’s pioneer winemakers whose career is intrinsically linked with the global profile of New Zealand wine. He was the founding winemaker at Cloudy Bay, a pivotal role during which he directed the company’s first 25 vintages.

Based in the Omaka Valley, Greywacke sources fruit from mature low-yielding vineyards in prime viticultural positions, which are sustainably managed, with substantial and increasing proportions coming from organically farmed sites.
Minimal intervention winemaking is adopted to create wines with personality and individuality, aiming for subtle, ripe, delicious-drinking styles.

Greywacke’s principal wines are Sauvignon Blanc (which they make in two styles) and Pinot Noir.

Owner

Kevin Judd

Kevin Judd is one of Marlborough’s pioneer winemakers whose career is intrinsically linked with the global profile of New Zealand wine. Kevin was born in England and grew up in Australia, where he studied winemaking at Roseworthy College and first made wine at Reynella in South Australia. He moved to New Zealand in 1983 and joined Selaks Wines.

Subsequently, he became the founding winemaker at Cloudy Bay, a pivotal role during which he directed the company’s first 25 vintages. In 2009, he established Greywacke, his own family wine company, named after New Zealand’s prolific bedrock.

Alongside winemaking, Kevin has developed a parallel career in photography. His first book was the The Colour of Wine, a photographic essay on the vineyards of Marlborough. His second book, The Landscape of New Zealand Wine, received considerable acclaim.

Since 2021 Richelle Tyney has been managing the winemaking programme. She firmly believes in minimal intervention winemaking and that wine should express its turangawaewae (Maori: a place to stand). Her vinous passion is pinot noir and she loves working with fruit from the Southern Valleys, a hillside terroir producing Marlborough’s most exciting examples.

Greywacke’s Distinct Minerality

Greywacke source fruit from select vineyards in Marlborough, particularly in the Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys, two of the region’s most celebrated sub-regions. The Wairau Valley features free-draining, stony alluvial soils from ancient riverbeds, producing wines with purity and minerality. In contrast, the Southern Valleys' clay-rich soils contribute to structure and depth, especially for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The region enjoys a cool maritime climate, with high sunshine hours, warm days, and cool nights. This diurnal temperature variation preserves acidity while enhancing flavour concentration, ideal for producing vibrant and aromatic wines.

The winery’s namesake rock, a sedimentary sandstone common in New Zealand, forms much of the subsoil, contributing to the region’s distinct minerality.

Greywacke’s wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, reflect the harmony of Marlborough’s terroir, showcasing intense flavours, and a sense of place.