NZ & International Other Whites

WINEMAKER Dan Brennan – otherwise known as Decibel Dan – is a much beloved person in my wine world. He is hardworking and humble and devoted to the boutique wine experience and Dan tends to make wine that is just that little bit different from the norm. However sometimes I find when winemakers dare to be different, the ‘being other’ takes precedence over everything else and that’s when quality takes a hit. This is absolutely not the case when it comes to Decibel wines. For Dan, quality comes above all else, and for such an affable human, it’s hard to believe that he could ever be uncompromising. I think we can all agree when it comes to making great wine, however, dedication to quality is one of the few occasions when being uncompromising works. It was certainly working for our judges who were taken with this chenin blanc that managed to take the top spot amongst a myriad of other white wine riches. A single smell or sip and you can see why with beautiful precise aromatics of apple, quince and toast with a reductive character that is borderline seductive and lures you into the glass. The complex palate has a thread of sweet fruit in great concentration and well-handled oak that serves to enhance the structure of the wine. The acidity present is juicy and long and drives the wine through to the finish which is long and luxurious, sophisticated and delicious. A mere glass of this wine is quite the imbibing experience, so imagine what the entire bottle shared with friends could do.