Grace Akeno Rouge 2020

Grace Winery (Chuo Budoshu) was founded in 1923 by Chotaro Misawa in Katsunuma, Yamanashi Prefecture — the birthplace of Japan's wine industry. It remains family-run today, led by winemaker Ayana Misawa, Chotaro's great-great-granddaughter, and is considered a benchmark for quality in Japanese winemaking.

Akeno Rouge is a single-vineyard blend from the Misawa Vineyard in Akeno — the name a deliberate mark of respect for its origin, and a "wine with a view" of exactly where it comes from. 2020 was Grace's 100th anniversary vintage: 63% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. After rigorous selection in both vineyard and winery, small lots were vinified separately with scrupulous attention to detail and gentle extraction, then each variety matured in French oak barrels and bottled without fining or filtration.

The Wine Front — 95 points (25 July 2023)
"Raspberry, dried cranberry, quite spicy with cinnamon and clove, charcoal, some sundried tomato, kombu and pepper. It's medium-bodied, cherry and plum, nutty grainy tannin, distinct savoury spice, but also quite a 'mineral' thing with some ripe tomato tang, yet sweet squished strawberry vanilla flavour too, and a finish of excellent length. It's umami, yet there's something of a strawberry Kit Kat sweetness in the mix, and gee, I really like it all up. A very different expression of these grape varieties, but really good."
Read the full review at The Wine Front