Decades’ 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 & 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”.
After 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.
The 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.
The 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.
This is a small project filled with promise, and we are delighted to get an allocation.
