Since college days at Roseworthy Ag College, best mates Brad Rogers and Steve Flamsteed goaded each other on. This is the room, the start of it all — a story made of late nights, bold ideas, and unexpected friendships.
Here are the young men, released into the wide open world, their diverse careers spanning across the Aussie drinks industry. In 2023, they finally made it happen — after decades of hoping they would. Their grapes are grown on their 5ha vineyard in Tassie’s Coal River Valley, planted in 1990, which means the vines were settling into soil at the same time as good mates were settling into themselves as adults.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are their focus, with a mix of old and new clones, and new plots planted to higher density than those first in the ground.
In their second release, the season offered a cool, extended growing period, allowing for flavour ripeness and the accumulation of fine tannins.
So let’s raise our glasses to the ceiling — for a friendship that never died and a dream that’s become reality: two mates standing side by side.
2024 Decades Chardonnay
95 Points | $80
Fresh linen, blush nectarines and the finely dotted web of elderflower blooms. There is a delicate lemon skin, cider apples and white pineapple core. Fruit intensity is abundant, whipped meringue and horchata creaminess. Its 10% new oak is silken in its support, allowing for a sandy shore minerality that flows through right to the finish. Its nectarine sorbet fruit is clearly on show but is under pinned by artful chiseling with undulating acidity and subtle waves of texture. This is what chardonnay devotees covet, it brings the cool climate of Tasmania’s fruit coupled with the finest winemaking skill. It’s simply dazzling. Seek out Will Studd’s High Altitude Comte for a slice of heaven in this cheese and wine pairing. Or equally a venice inspired fish risotto would be ideal.
2024 Decades Pinot Noir
96 Points | $80
Alluring is an understatement. This is bayberries, mulberry and wild raspberry compote, in swirls through a mascarpone cream. Slivers of thistle and fresh bay leaf nod to the careful selection of whole bunch from Dijon clones. Oak enters in a tree bark savouryness, perhaps cassia and more red gum strip. Red lingonberries come to the fore on the palate with the crunch of white strawberry and leaf too. There is a harmony of silty tannins, punchy fruit circles back and it’s the medley of red, winter green and tactile brown spice that keeps you sipping and marvelling. It is a wine of article and design but effortless and pure at the same time. This is clearly the Coal River Valley but with utter sophistication and it’s giving Tassie a whole new groove. Kumquat and five spice roast spatchcock on the menu?
