Winery Overview
Could you taste a wine and feel inspired? Could you smell a glass of wine and want to move to the other side of the world? It happened to New Jersey native, Daniel Brennan, when he first discovered New Zealand wines. While traveling through Europe and America as the manager of a rock band, Daniel's passion for sense memory and sense elation grew. When docked in Philadelphia, he discovered New Zealand wines. On tasting these wines, Daniel says, "I literally smelled the potential for adventure and pure discovery in the glass." So, in 2007 Daniel left Philadelphia to pursue the passion of learning to become a winemaker in New Zealand.
Decibel is Daniel's vision to create wines using classic practices, minimal intervention, and wines with a community based attitude. Two special projects also lie within the Decibel label: Testify - a labor-of-love Malbec that is only produced in the best of vintages, and Giunta - a whimsical expression of Malbec in the Nouveau style.
A true Rennaisance Man, Daniel also hosts a podcast series, Vintage Stories. Historically the podcast was based around interviews with Daniel's peers and mentors in Winemaking, Brewing and Gastronomy. The series now also features journalists, scientists, entrepreneurs and experts in a wide range of fields revolving around wine, beer, gastronomy, science, technology, farming, tourism and travel. Most episodes are recorded from his home, set within the vineyards of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
Instagram: @decibelwines
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Vineyard
Various vineyard sites throughout Hawke's Bay - Gimblett Gavels, Crownthorpe, Bridge Pa District - and Martinborough
Viticulture
Hawke’s Bay lies on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The region enjoys dry summers with moderate, cool nights. This wine reflects a single vineyard Malbec which was grown in the Bridge Pa Appellation on the Heretaunga Plains. The soils are Silty-loam, free draining red metal of mixed alluvial and volcanic origin. The wines tend to reflect more lush fruit and rounder tannins. There were three clones of Malbec (595, 1056 and Dr. Rod clones) grown on 4 different blocks around the Bridge Pa Triangle.
Vinification
Picked in late March, the fruit picked with very modest sugar levels, ranging from 20.5-22.5 Brix. The fruit was destemmed and only lightly crushed to allow the skins to slowly breakdown during the fermentation. Each vineyard block was fermented separately. The fruit was then cold macerated for 5-6 days on skins before slowly warming the fermenters and allowing a wild fermentation to kick in. Fermentation lasted 13-18 days before the wine was then macerated on skins again for an additional 15 days and which also allowed for full malolactic fermentation to take place on skins. The wine was then pressed to tank and settled and again racked off its heavy sediment in late May.
Tasting Notes
The modern classic that is Giunta Malbec Nouveau, back for another year. An exploration into the fruitiness of the malbec grape, it’s all cherries all the way. Deliciously bright and unabashedly fruit-forward with soft resolved tannins like biting into a fruit-filled chocolate. A perfect anywhere anytime red that makes friends wherever it goes. Drink it, don’t overthink it.
