Botrytis cinerea, also known as “noble rot” is a fungus that colonizes the grape and causes water to evaporate through the skin of the fruit.
Under the perfect conditions with the right amount of humidity and heat Botrytis will transform the grapes into “drops of gold”.
Etna is at once both a fossil and a piece of modern art!
Vines aged from 70-120 years old grow on the slopes of a volcano at altitudes that make noses bleed.
A short long history. From the Pioneers in the 1800’s to those who rejuvenated the Yarra Valley in the 1960’s and the new wave from the 1990’s to today, the Yarra Valley is making the best wines it has ever made.
One of the most honest reflections of a tough vintage that you will ever hear. Listen to this and you will understand the depth of deliberate, consequential thought that required for the world’s best vignerons always optimise.
We explore the Geology, Geography and Wines of the Côte de Beaune Villages: Chassagne-Montrachet, Pugliny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin
It’s a busy day in the Tiny Winery today! It’s 449 days since our beautiful Shiraz arrived in the winery.
Blending time … mostly!
Don’t get hung up the numbers, the numbers can lie! Taste it, looking for balance!
Mike Bennie on our article “Definitive and balanced. Rare to see in the ‘debate’. Kudos. Should frame it!”
Most of the articles you see about how wine develops in the bottle over time explore the standard evolution of a single wine.
Taking this one step further, I started an experiment 18 years ago. Today you get to see the results.
The 2015 Wine Decoded ‘Bathtub’ Cabernet Sauvignon!
Just a little bit excited 😉
From the potential of life as a carpenter to one of Barolo’s greats. Sandrone last 15 years making Barolo has been a demonstration of the wisdom accumulated over the previous 35 years! Such intrigue!
During an impromptu tasting of Burgundies from Stéphane Magnien we got to explore the Villages of Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny & Gevrey-Chambertin. Comparison of the 3 offering great insights into Burgundy in the glass!
I’ve been asked, almost daily for months now about the 2013 Vintage in Barolo and Barbaresco. So, how do you cut through the hype to work out the reality?
It’s great to have someone with as much experience as Michael so clearly articulate what has been a massive period of evolution the Australian wine industry. Particularly on the Pinot front. This is a must watch for any Pinot fanatic!
Let the Giggle Festa Begin! With these 2 at Wine Decoded HQ life is full of laughs! They’re kicking out some delicious wines from McLaren Vale.
Jesús Barquín and friends have a long-standing love for the great wines of Andalusia. Home to the Sherry Bodegas that have cared for many incredible wines. Now he has become a custodian of some of it’s most revered wines, and, reviving a long lost style of table wine made under flor!
As you drive down the A6 from Paris, turn off at the N74 you start to see grape vines. Initially, you think you’ve gone a little cross-eyed from the long flight. Then you realise your eyes aren’t lying the vines are minute and packed close together!
Alcoholic fermentation has finished and the Bathtub Winemaking Project Shiraz has been pressed and is now resting in either tank or barrel.
Malolactic fermentation has started converting malic acid to the softer lactic acid. We need to start raising the wine, the process of élévage begins.
This will be the first in many articles to help you understand Burgundy, the mythical home of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay.
Understanding Burgundy Starts with the Different Villages & After that it Just Keeps Getting Better!
The Priorat revival has been underway for a few decades now. Add a German Chef to the mix with a vision & the drive to make great wine & the results have been something special.
We’ve been working hard on the Shiraz in the Bathtubs to get the texture just right!
Now one of the critical steps … pressing! Get it wrong & all that work will be for naught.
Spice, Perfume, Tannin .. some like it strong, some like it weak, some with a splash of milk, lemon, or a spoon of sugar!
We like our stalks in wine!
Tasting a fermenting wine goes against everything you’d do when drinking a finished wine!
Check out how we do it.
Guiding ferments during the peak of ferment requires wisdom & agility.
There is an infinite number of actions you can take & an equal number of things that can go wrong!
Pumping over is just one of the ways.
Our whole bunch Shiraz ferment is starting to kick. Now it’s time to think about fermentation temperature & ongoing tannin management
It’s school holidays and that can mean only one thing, time to put the kids to work stomping grapes!
All quiet in the Wine Decoded Tiny Winery. Fermentation hasn’t started yet.
Day 1 – After a long wait our Yarra Valley Shiraz is off the vine & in the winery!
We’ll be posting updates as the action happens. Stay Tuned!
Making exceptional wine takes thought and patience. Every step of the winemaking process presents you with a choice. In the winery, it begins when the fruit arrives. ?
Watch as Pinot Noir from Yabby Lake’s Block 2 is sorted by hand & some seriously impressive cutting edge machinery!