Decibel Testify Chardonnay 2024

Decibel Testify Chardonnay is a richly textured Hawke's Bay Chardonnay with waxy citrus, toasted brioche, honeycomb and a subtle maple sweetness on the nose, balanced by a fresh, chalky palate. The 2024 fruit comes from an inland site on the Mangatahi Terraces, giving winemaker Daniel Brennan plenty of flavour to wrap in finely judged French oak. This sits in Decibel's age-minded Testify range and should appeal to anyone who likes Chardonnay with generosity, savoury complexity and freshness in equal measure. A very comfortable match for roast chicken, pork belly or richer seafood dishes.

What the winery says:

The vineyard sits on the Mangatahi Terraces in Hawke's Bay, a subregion shaped over thousands of years by the nearby Ngaruroro River. Fermentation took place mostly in French oak barriques, alongside one French oak puncheon, with 18% new oak overall. Decibel describes lifted waxy notes, toasted brioche, honeycomb, fresh maple syrup and rich lemon peel, followed by a youthful, creamy palate with freshness, chalky texture and fine-grained oak.

What the experts say:

Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast, 95/100 Superb (2024)
“Lovely reductive struck match characters are present but not overwhelming on this small batch Chardonnay from ex-pat American Daniel Brennan. Toast, nougat and nectarine soar, with weight and power to the palate but with freshness and a subtle core of fruit amidst the toastier, more lactic characters. This could cellar for several more years but is drinking pretty darn beautifully right now.”