Wine Advisor
Greywacke, Wild Sauvignon 2023
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Rebecca Gibb MW
Savoury, smokey and saline, the 2023 Wild Sauvignon is taut and tense, almost un-Marlborough-like, but over the course of 24 hours it reveals passion fruit and elderflower notes. If you haven't got that sort of time on your hands, pull out the decanter. The wine's sophistication comes not from its flavours but its shape and athletic acid profile. The texture intrigues with its focus and push-and-pull tension. The lip-smacking, medium-long finish is drawn out with smokey and floral talc as well as classic passion fruit and elderflower. Young but eminently drinkable, this has the concentration and structure to go on for a decade or more. Another success story for this bottling.
Reviewed by: Erin Larkin
The 2023 Wild Sauvignon leads with a layered nose of crushed nuts, pineapple husk, licorice and white chocolate. On the palate, the wine is creamy and spicy, with lashings of concentrated fruit flavor and length throughout the finish. This wine routinely cellars with exceptional grace, and this vintage appears to be no different. The 2023 growing season was cool and wet, although the presence of the mountain range, which effectively divides the region in half, had a positive impact on the Awatere Valley, to the east of the main Wairau. While the 2023 season will be forever etched onto the hearts of the producers in Hawkes Bay (and the North Island in general) as the year of Cyclone Gabrielle, the South Island fared much better, and the wines in general have been lovely, detailed things, as this is. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
About the Producer
Greywacke 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 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 the 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. Each variety is grown and vinified using techniques aimed at achieving very specific wine styles, with a common objective of delivering a concentration of flavour and a harmonious balance of texture and acidity. Minimal intervention winemaking is adopted to create wines with personality and individuality, aiming for subtle, ripe, delicious-drinking styles. Wild (indigenous) yeast fermentations are used extensively to incorporate savouriness to the flavour profile and build on the structure and intensity of mouthfeel. The Greywacke range is primarily based on two varieties, sauvignon blanc, and pinot noir; the sauvignon being produced in two distinctly different styles. Limited releases of chardonnay, riesling, and pinot gris complement the line-up. Kevin’s signature vineyard photographs provide the distinctive identity of the Greywacke labels. Kevin Judd is one of Marlborough’s pioneer winemakers whose career is intrinsically linked with the global profile of New Zealand wine. 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. Richelle was born and raised in Nelson. While working and traveling in Europe, Richelle developed a love for wine and upon returning home, she enrolled at University to study winemaking. Richelle joined the Greywacke team in May 2021, where she manages the winemaking programme, as well as traveling to the markets to conduct tastings and spread the word on all things Greywacke.
