Decibel Wines Gimblett Gravels Malbec
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Hawke’s Bay lies on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The region enjoys dry summers with moderate, cool nights.
- Gimblett Gravels reflects a single vineyard Malbec from the famed Bridge Pa appellation, an area with soils that are blanketed with pumice from volcanic events of 10,000 years ago and hosts some of the oldest soils on the Heretaunga Plains. More recently, the changing course of the nearby Ngaruroro River had the most significant influence on the soils, leaving free-draining, warm soils that overlay “red metal” alluvial gravels; perfect for viticulture.
- Decibel Wines has converted this vineyard to organic farming methods.
Varietal Composition: 100% Malbec
Elaboration: Destemmed and lightly crushed. Cold soaked for 5 days on skin then slowly warmed, allowing wild fermentation to kick in. Fermentation lasted two weeks. Maceration on skins again for an additional three weeks. After pressing, the wine went into barrels that were a mix of older seasoned oak and about 10% new oak. Aged for 21 months in barrel and then racked and prepared for bottling.
Tasting Notes: Aromatics are of fragrant violets, cardamom pods, and juicy ripe plums. Layers of bramble, blackberry, black cherry, all balanced against bright acidity and soft tannins.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Daniel (dB) Brennan, a native of New Jersey, founded Decibel Wines in 2008 in Hastings, New Zealand, a city on the east coast of the North Island, in the Hawke’s Bay region. After touring Europe and America as manager of a rock band, he found himself at his family’s restaurant in Philadelphia where he was inspired by his Sicilian grandfather, a cooper and winemaker, to trade music for wine.
He arrived in his adopted country virtually penniless but with determination to bring his vision to life. He studied Oenology & Viticulture in Hawke’s Bay and worked with some of the region’s top producers, as well as at wineries and vineyards in California, Oregon, and Italy.