Ito Farm
Okazaki, Aichi

Grapes: Kyoho 85%, Merlot 10%, Yamabudou 5%
Type: Red
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Pale garnet
Alcohol: 12.5%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: 10 ppm 
Filtered: Yes (coarse filter)
Serving temperature: 7-10°C
Production: 1,600 bottles
Please store in a cool, dark place.

Tasting notes
Wild red berries, cherries, flowers and some herbaceous aroma can be found. A bit of bitterness in flavour reminds you of black tea or some herbal tea. A hint of cucurbits flavour makes it unique. Recommended to drink chilled. Enjoy the rich and changing flavours from the second day onwards.

Food pairing
Chinese cuisine with thick sauce such as black bean paste and oyster sauce, Samgyeopsal, Mapo tofu, grilled eel with soy sauce based sauce and Japanese pepper powder, beef pastrami, burrata salad, simmered mackerel with soy sauce and mirin.

Winemaking
A wine with a rich grape flavour and concentrated Umami taste, made mainly from Kyoho, a typical Japanese table grape, as well as Merlot and Yamabudou. The grapes were destemmed, crushed and macerated in stainless steel tanks for one week. After pressing, fermentation continued in stainless steel tanks for 10 days. The wine was then matured for 5 months in 225L and 110L old oak barrels before bottling. Only 10 ppm sulphite added at bottling. Filtered through a coarse filter (100 µm). No chaptalisation or acidification.

The vineyard is located in a corner of a quiet residential area in the northern part of Okazaki in Aichi, almost in the middle of Honshu island. It receives sunlight from sunrise to sunset, has wide openings for good ventilation and well-drained sandy-gravel soils. It is a very favourable environment for viticulture. The winery respects the cycles of nature, adopts grass growing organic farming, minimises the use of pesticides. In 2022, despite double the normal rainfall in July and two typhoons in September, the total number of sunshine hours during the entire grape growing season was about 80 hours above average. This resulted in good colouration and average sugar levels of Brix 22-24, and a record year for yields. The flower knot on the label is a Japanese culture that values connections between people. It expresses the wishes of the winery's representative, Mr Takashi Ito, towards his wines.