Agri-Cœur
Kaminoyama, Yamagata

Grapes: Hokujyun
Type: Red
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Medium ruby
Alcohol: 11.5%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: No
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 13-16°C
Production: 974 bottles
Please store in a cool, dark place.

Tasting notes
Aromas of pomegranate, blackberry, nutmeg, eucalyptus and violet. Juicy taste like cranberry juice and clean acidity. Finishes with a lovely raspberry-like aftertaste. Unique flavour. Chill it slightly before serving.

Food pairing
Beef tagliata, roasted venison, carbonara, lasagne, Hui guo rou (twice-cooked pork), tomato pasta, pate de campagne.  

Winemaking
Hokjyun is a hybrid of the European variety Muscat Hamburg and the mountain grape Vitis amurensis, which was native to the three provinces of North China, Shandong and Northeast China. Due to the high acidity derived from the mountain grape, there are now only four growers in Kaminoyama, whereas 40 years ago there were many. It has become a very difficult variety to obtain. Agri-Cœur winemaker Hiroaki Katayose, who first encountered Hokjyun after moving to Kaminoyama, said that a wine made with Hokjyun was still dominated by acidity, perhaps because the harvest was early. However, a wine made from ripe grapes and matured in oak barrels for a year was reminiscent of Pinot Noir, but had an acidity reminiscent of mountain grapes. He found it elegant and structured, with a quality that made him want to call it an Asian Pinot Noir.

The Hokjun was destemmed and placed into plastic tanks. Macerated at a slightly lower temperature for about 50 days. The punching down was done moderately. After pressing the wine, it was allowed to settle for about 80 days before bottling. 2023's intense heat and high sugar levels mean that the acidity is not as strong as it could have been. The wine is expected to develop further in flavour and complexity with ageing.

Hiroaki Katayose is a former sommelier from Osaka. He studied winemaking in Burgundy and Champagne for about six years, and after returning to Japan, he stayed in Hokkaido for a long time while assisting in cultivation and winemaking at Domaine Takahiko and 10R Winery. He then worked at domaine tetta in Okayama, where he has been head of cultivation and vinification since the winery was established in 2016. He left the winery and started viticulture in Yamagata in 2022. In the same year, he was commissioned to make wine at Takeda Winery, also in Yamagata. The 2023 vintage that arrived this time was commissioned to be vinified at Fattoria al Fiore in Miyagi. He plans to build his own winery in the near future.

Nutrition Facts per 100ml
Energy: 73 kcal
Fat: 0 g
 - Saturates: 0 g
Carbohydrate: 1.5 g
 - Sugar: 1.5 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Salt: 0g