The completion of the 2009 harvest in Marlborough marks the next step in Kevin Judd’s career in the New Zealand wine industry.

The first (sauvignon blanc) iteration of his new wine label Greywacke is due out this month and his new venture brings to a close his 25-vintage role as chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay Vineyards, a career inextricably linked to the international reputation of New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

Kevin recently completed his first solo Marlborough harvest that commenced on April  3 with hand-picked pinot noir from the Yarrum Vineyard, a distinctive site, which straddles the ridge between Marlborough’s Brancott and Ben Morven Valleys. 

It concluded recently with a select pick of botrytised Gewurztraminer from the Brancott Valley floor.

"I am primarily sourcing fruit from Ivan and Margaret Sutherland’s vineyards in and around Marlborough’s Southern Valleys. 

"They are prime viticultural sites with mature vineyards that contain a mixture of the best possible clones grown under yield restricted vineyard management regimes.

"Ripe fruit and relatively hands-off winemaking techniques will be used to create concentrated wines with personalities that express the incredible varietal intensity typically enjoyed in New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

Kevin Judd says he feels privileged to have been with Cloudy Bay from its inception. 

"It has been a unique, rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable journey. Nevertheless, it has been fantastic fun pulling on the gumboots again. I am making my wines at the Dog Point winery, a facility extended to me by my long-standing and generous mates Ivan Sutherland and James Healy," he says.

Last month also marked a second important milestone – the appointment of Negociants Australia and Negociants New Zealand as exclusive national distributors for Greywacke.