Cave d'Occi Winery
Niigata, Niigata

Grapes: Pinot Noir
Type: Red
Style: Dry, medium-bodied
Colour: Pale ruby
Alcohol: 12%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: No 
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 14-16°C
Production: 876 bottles
Please store in a cool, dark place.

Tasting notes
Aromas of raspberry, violet, forest floor, and tanned leather. On the palate, it is generous and supple, revealing soft red fruit and a steadily unfolding umami richness. Right after opening, it may show a slightly reductive character, with hints of iron and gunflint, giving it a firm and tightly wound impression—an accent that actually adds intrigue to the wine’s personality. As it opens, it gradually becomes smoother and more rounded, making it a pleasure to enjoy slowly over time. With aging potential, this wine is also best enjoyed on the day it is opened to fully appreciate its character.

Food pairing
Okonomiyaki, kinpira gobo (braised burdock root), miso-simmered mackerel, doteni (slow-cooked beef tendon and konjac), mushroom takikomi gohan (seasoned mixed rice), venison tataki, sake lees-marinated grilled fish, duck confit, porcini cream pasta, liver pâté, aged Camembert, Époisses.

Winemaking
Cave d'Occi Winery's Doubutsu (= Animal) Series is a collection of wines vinified by winemaker Fumito Kakegawa, showcasing his personal passions and creative flair. "Flamingo" is a red wine vinified from estate-grown Pinot Noir vines over 20 years old, with the goal of achieving a gentle, soul-soothing flavor. The 2023 vintage was an exceptional year for early-ripening red varieties, as there was no rainfall at all from the end of July through mid-September. The grapes were in their best condition ever—deeply dark in color and almost entirely free of disease.

Winemaking began at the end of August. Four-fifths of the grapes were chilled overnight in a refrigerator, then destemmed and transferred to stainless steel tanks, where they were kept at 5°C. The remaining one-fifth, left as whole bunches and stored at 23°C, was layered on top and left to sit for about 72 hours. A pre-prepared pied de cuve (a small starter fermentation batch) was then added to initiate fermentation. The wine was aged for 14 months in French oak. For this vintage, chaptalisation was carried out to support fermentation, equivalent to 0.5% alcohol. Indigenous yeasts were used for primary fermentation, and cultured lactic acid bacteria were employed for malolactic fermentation.

Nutrition Facts per 100ml
Energy: 68 kcal
Fat: 0 g
 - Saturates: 0 g
Carbohydrate: 1.5 g
 - Sugar: 1.5 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Salt: 0g