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
This wine reflects a blend of two vineyards from Hawke’s Bay, offering a more classic expression of the regional style. The first portion into the winery was from the warm inland Ohiti Valley where we scored a parcel of 548 Clone Chardonnay. This clone is much-loved by winemakers for it's crystalline acidity, lending an intense and mouthwatering core. The second portion is from coastal Te Awanga bringing an inherent saltiness and luscious fruit flavors. The best of Hawke’s Bay blended makes for a complex wine.
Vinification
In the winery we used 100% barrel fermentation in French oak with about 20% first fill barrels. Select barrels were inoculated with organic yeast strains while others went through a wild fermentation. As the barrels were filled straight off the press, there was a mix of light, moderate, and heavy solids across the blend and all barrels were frequently stirred. All barrels went through malolactic fermentation, but the nature of these parcels means freshness and bright acidity is retained, holding onto restraint in the final blend.
Total Sulphur: 80mg/L
Tasting Notes
The nose is a harmony of white nectarine and the oak-influenced aromas of miso caramel and charred pineapple. The palate is ripe and rich with a brilliantly resolved acidity that sparkles like the crunch of a flaky salt crystal. Fruit is ever-present with layers of nectarine, pineapple, stewed Granny Smith apples, and the smoky oak wafting through.
