2015 Greywacke Chardonnay Marlborough New Zealand 750 ml

A Legendary Winemaker’s Challenge to Burgundy

Chardonnay lovers—it’s time to think Kiwi. As Lisa-Perotti-Brown, the current editor-in-chief at Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate put it, New Zealand is “quite possibly the greatest new-region success story of our lifetimes.”

After 25 vintages at Cloudy Bay—arguably one of the wineries that put New Zealand front and center on the world stage—winemaker Kevin Judd set out to show the world that New Zealand, and Marlborough in particular, was prime territory for Burgundian-style Chardonnay because of it’s cooler climate, ample sunshine, and pockets of well-draining ancient glacial riverbed deposits. 

Today’s 2015 Greywacke Chardonnay is a testament to the Advocate’s confident declaration of New Zealand’s status, and Judd’s unmatched winemaking expertise: The golden, Marlborough Chardonnay combines the complexity and cut of great Burgundy with the fresh intensity that is pure New Zealand, leaping from the glass with a fresh array of yellow apple, white peach, Meyer lemon, and florals complemented by hazelnut, brown butter, and clove. Structurally speaking, this is Burgundy in a nutshell underscored by the kind of energy and lift only possible from New Zealand. 

Rare are the bottles that make it stateside, but we secured 85 cases for the taking. With dual glowing reviews from Decanter and Robert Parker, this is a Chardonnay that’s “full of flavour” and “harmonious,” which the Advocate called “The best vintage of Chardonnay Kevin Judd has made to date.” 

Ten years ago, armed with his winemaking toolkit and a CV that included crafting delicious wine enjoyed by literally millions of people, Judd opened his own winery, Greywacke, and has since cemented two reputations—as a pioneering genius of barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc (Te Koko), and as one of the most respected makers of Chardonnay in the world. 

So, if you’re looking for a showpiece wine to impress your guests, Judd’s small-production Greywacke Chardonnays are your ticket. For the same quality in Burgundy, you’d be paying double and triple the price, and let’s face it—the surprise look on faces when folks realize that Judd made all those vintages of Cloudy Bay they enjoyed? That’s priceless. 

Even better is when a Judd Chardonnay converts that one friend who hasn’t ever really tasted the indescribable beauty of a perfectly-crafted, dazzling Chardonnay. That’s happiness.