Greywacke Pinot Noir

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'.

Pinot Noir,

All fruit was grown in Marlborough's Southern Valleys and principally sourced from the Yarrum Vineyard situated on the Brancott / Ben Morven ridge. Typical of this subregion, the wind-blown loess soils are comprised of clay-loams with varying degrees of gravel content. The vineyards are all hillside plantings trained to two-cane VSP (vertical shoot positioning) with a vine density of 3,800 plants per hectare.

A mild, frost-free spring with warm conditions through to early summer provided ideal growing conditions. November will be remembered more for the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook the upper South Island than the unseasonably high rainfall in Marlborough. December and January were very dry, cooler than normal and often very windy. Greywacke were 'thrilled with the results from the shortest and most challenging harvest to date'.

The grapes were hand harvested and chilled overnight prior to hand sorting. Most of the fruit was then de-stemmed into open-top fermenters, the majority of fermentations with partial whole bunch inclusion. The fruit was allowed to soak on skins prior to the onset of indigenous yeast fermentation, then plunged daily by hand. After fermentation the wine was pressed, racked and filled to French oak barriques (30% new). All individual clones were aged in barrel separately for 16 months prior to blending in August.

This wine is deep ruby red in colour with vibrant aromas of blackberries, blueberries and sweet black plums. An opulent style of Marlborough Pinot layered with notes of roasted chestnuts, clove and tobacco and hints of rose and lavender. On the palate, it has fine tannins and a smoky and lively finish.