{"product_id":"2024-decades-coal-river-valley-chardonnay-liberty","title":"2024 Decades, Coal River Valley Chardonnay - Liberty","description":"\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eDecades is a single-vineyard project in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, owned by friends and Roseworthy College classmates, acclaimed winemaker Steve Flamsteed and brewer Brad Rogers (co-founder of Byron Bay brewery Stone \u0026amp; Wood). Although 2024 is only their second vintage, the Decades Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are already achieving critical acclaim. As Halliday wine writer Dave Brooks states, “there is no doubt that something special is happening with this site in Tea Tree in the Upper Coal River Valley”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eAfter an impressive tenure at the helm of Giant Steps, Steve passed the mantle to Mel Chester in 2021 and began pursuing his own projects. The next year, three decades after meeting at College, he and Brad bought a 2.5-hectare vineyard in Southern Tasmania’s Upper Coal River Valley, attracted by the region's cool climate and potential for world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. “We first discussed the idea of having a vineyard together one day over a couple of glasses of beer and a Joy Division album,” Steve recalls. “I know that sounds cliché, but it’s weirdly true.” As a result, they named the vineyard ‘Decades’ in reference to their enduring friendship and favourite Joy Division song.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThe original 2.5 hectares of vineyard were planted in 1992. The black clay over limestone soils, low rainfall and maritime influence create excellent conditions for growing grapes with good levels of acidity and concentration of flavour. The wine is made from the original vines, but the duo are investing in the future and have planted an additional seven hectares (predominantly Pinot Noir) on the property. All the fruit is hand harvested and handled carefully to make sure it arrives at the winery in pristine condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThe Chardonnay was whole bunch pressed into large French oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation and then aged for nine months. Half the barrels underwent malolactic fermentation. This is a precise, taut Chardonnay with a distinct mineral profile and lovely citrus line. The Pinot Noir is made from two parcels fermented separately with indigenous yeast. The first was whole bunch fermented, while the second was de-stemmed and cold-soaked for five days. Both were then pressed into small, seasoned French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and aged for nine months. The resulting wine is elegant and perfumed, with classic blue fruit notes typical of Coal River Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThis is a small project filled with promise, and we are delighted to get an allocation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Decades vineyard is located in the Tea Tree microclimate of the Coal River Valley in Southern Tasmania. The soil type is black cracking clay over a white calcareous Triassic sandstone base. The trellis system is Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) where all vines are cane pruned following the Guyot System. The vineyard is north-east facing and set on a gentle slope that assists with frost mitigation. Sustainable viticultural practices are followed, including soil regeneration and the use of systemic sprays in seasons when there is a requirement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe 2024 season was long, and cool with a good amount of spring rain, where a few warm days resulted in a healthy, consistent flowering. Summer was mild and long. Ripening was slow which meant the grapes achieved physiological ripeness with good phenolic structure and firm acidity. Shoot thinning was done in December and there was some leaf removal on the eastern side to allow some dappled light intervention through the ripening season. Harvest took place in the last week of April, taking two days for both Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiPaper-root MuiAccordion-root accordion_accordion__I9cut Mui-expanded MuiAccordion-rounded MuiPaper-elevation1 MuiPaper-rounded\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-root MuiCollapse-entered\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapper\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapperInner\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv role=\"region\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiAccordionDetails-root\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eFruit was hand-picked in the early morning and whole bunch pressed, within three hours of harvest. The juice was pressed straight to tank and then transferred to oak with the inclusion of 100% juice solids for an indigenous fermentation. 50% of the barrels underwent an indigenous malolactic fermentation. The fermentation vessels were all 500L tight grain French puncheons,10% new, the reminder being 2nd, 3rd and 4th use barrels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe nose is brimming with lemon citrus aromas with nougat and subtle grilled grains. The palate follows a similar citrus line with a little green olive brine, and finishes with a crisp, fresh, minerally white stone-fruit character.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wine Tasting Adventure","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56781660193146,"sku":null,"price":58.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0527\/4297\/9770\/files\/DecadesChardonnay__250x500_5500e1f5-63b2-44f7-b9da-d59c8c7e5607.png?v=1775751927","url":"https:\/\/www.wine-ta.co.uk\/products\/2024-decades-coal-river-valley-chardonnay-liberty","provider":"Wine Tasting Adventure","version":"1.0","type":"link"}