OMISHIMA MINNANO WINERY
Imabari, Ehime

Grapes: Chardonnay
Type: White
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Pale straw
Alcohol: 10.5%
Wild yeast: No
Any added sulphites: 37 ppm
Filtered: Yes (coarse filter)
Serving temperature: 7-10°C
Production: 1,300 bottles
Please store in a cool, dark place.

Tasting notes
A clear flavour and refreshing acidity, with aromas of green apple, white peach. The aftertaste is citrusy, like kabosu, with a minerality unique to grapes grown near the sea. This wine tastes like sake and can be matched with mild Japanese food. 

Food pairing
Sushi, sashimi, raw oysters, white fish carpaccio, grilled hokke (Okhotsk atka mackerel), steamed clams with sake, chicken fillet wrapped in ume & shiso, fried oysters, milt in ponzu sauce, Japanese pickled vegetables, Iburi Gakko (smoked daikon radish pickles), sashimi mackerel served with sesame and soy sauce, vegetable-based appetisers (boiled vegetables in soy based sauce or sesame sauce, etc)

Winemaking
Shima Shiro Chardonnay is made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in their own vineyard, located near the sea. Omishima, situated in the center of the Shimanami Kaidō that connects Honshu and Ehime Prefecture, has a mild climate unique to the Seto Inland Sea. The region’s conditions are strikingly similar to Katsunuma City in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan’s most renowned wine region. With minimal rainfall throughout the year and long stretches of sunshine during the summer, the climate is ideal for grape cultivation.

The year 2023 saw an exceptionally low annual rainfall of approximately 1000 mm, resulting in a year with minimal rain and low disease pressure. However, temperatures were high, and nighttime temperatures during the summer remained elevated, making it particularly challenging to bring the grapes to full ripeness.

The fully ripened Chardonnay grapes were destemmed and crushed before being gently pressed. The juice was transferred to tanks using gravity flow. After pressing, the juice underwent a settling period of approximately three days. Regular stirring was performed during this time to extract aromas, such as grapefruit and citrus notes, from the lees. Fermentation was completed within about two weeks using cultured yeast, with temperature carefully maintained at around 12–13°C. The wine then spent approximately 1.5 months on the lees (sur lie) in the tank. A small amount of sulphite was added to prevent malolactic fermentation. The wine underwent three rackings and was aged in tanks for about six months. Before bottling, it was filtered using a coarse filter to preserve its character.

Nutrition Facts per 100ml
Energy: 73 kcal
Fat: 0 g
 - Saturates: 0 g
Carbohydrate: 2.0 g
 - Sugar: 2.0 g
Protein: 0.1 g
Salt: 0g