Highlight: Domaine Hase Pino Fin Blanc 2018, Nagano, Japan

This comes from a small winery high up (800 m) in Nagano that I visited last year. I tasted this wine before it was bottled then, and really liked it, and got another chance to try it a couple of nights ago at dinner (we bought it from a wine shop in Matsumoto City). It’s pretty naturally made, and utterly compelling. This is the first release of a wine from the domaine (they’ve previously made wines from purchased grapes).

Domaine Hase Pino Fin Blanc 2018 Nagano, Japan
A field blend of multiple clones each of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, naturally fermented together and bottled with 15 ppm of sulfur dioxide. One day skin contact, and then fermented in one 500 litre barrel and a new 225 litre barrel. Deep yellow in colour, this has lovely rich flavours of peach, pear, toast and some table grape, together with an apricot twist. It finishes bright and spicy with lovely depth of flavour. 94/100

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