GRAPE SHIP
Kurashiki, Okayama

Grapes: Muscat of Alexandria 76%, Syrah 24%
Type: Rosé semi-sparkling
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Pale ruby
Alcohol: 8%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: No 
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 5-8°C
Production: 3,335 bottles
Please store in a cool, dark place.

Tasting notes
Fresh notes of rose, acerola, muscat and berries, with hints of pomegranate and fig on the palate. The fizz is livelier than in previous years, giving a crisp, dry edge when first opened. As it breathes, the aromas become more rounded, letting you enjoy the refreshing acidity and juicy fruit flavours. Best enjoyed on the day it’s opened.

Food pairing
Cheese platter, charcuterie, grilled vegetables, carpaccio of sea bream or sea bass, marinated salmon, seafood pasta, roast chicken, duck breast, lamb skewers, berry or fig tart.

Winemaking
Made from organically grown Muscat of Alexandria and Syrah. The 2024 vintage was marked by intense summer heat, so the grapes had to be harvested in small batches before they were damaged. Muscat of Alexandria was picked in mid-September, while the Syrah was harvested from late August through mid-September.

Whole bunches of Muscat of Alexandria were left to macerate for about two weeks before gently pressing. Syrah from the August harvest was pressed straight away and aged in stainless steel, while the September harvest was split into two styles – some de-stemmed and fermented in enamel tanks, others kept as whole bunches, dried for a few days, and then macerated before pressing. Near the end of fermentation, the wines were blended with a little Muscat of Alexandria juice and bottled for natural secondary fermentation. Unfined, unfiltered, and bottled with no added sulphites.

As the wine is made from grapes grown in Japan, it is named after a single kanji character, ‘朱’(= slightly yellowish red), to express its Japanese character. It has been used in shrines, temples and palaces as a colour for longevity and to ward off evil. The wine also expresses the wish that those who take this wine in their hands will have a healthy time.

The wine label features a motif of the sun rising between the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The sunrise scene from Kojima, a port town in Kurashiki City where winemaker Kazunori Matsui was born and raised, was expressed by a classmate of his who works at the art space Aburakame. Kazunori, whose father was a sailor, also says that the label seems to be guiding him as he ‘sets sail’ on his winemaking journey with his ‘GRAPE SHIP’ colleagues. A wine suitable for celebrating beginnings and departures.

Nutrition Facts per 100ml
Energy: 77 kcal
Fat: 0 g
 - Saturates: 0 g
Carbohydrate: 4.0 g
 - Sugar: 4.0 g
Protein: 0.1 g
Salt: 0g