Grape Republic Rosso 2023

Country: Japan

Region: Yamagata

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Delaware 70%/Niagara/Stueben/Siebel 9110

Founded in 2017 by restaurateur and sommelier Kazuomi Fujimaki alongside Takayuki Taira,  Grape Republic has rapidly risen to become natural wine leaders in Japan. Based in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture, the winery was born out of a desire to revitalize neglected farmland and support the aging generation of local farmers. Grape Republic operates on a philosophy they characterize as a freestyle approach to viticulture. They practice organic farming with zero chemical inputs and reject any added sulfites, commercial yeasts, or sugar. They focus on using indigenous Japanese table grapes and hybrids, such as Delaware, Steuben, and Niagara and vinify them using a combination of stainless steel and clay amphorae. Their entire portfolio is made up of low-alcohol, energetic wines that taste alive.

The Rosso is a light red wine, composed of 70% Steuben table grapes alongside Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a wild Japanese grape, Hokujun. Co-fermented with wild yeasts and aged across amphora, stainless steel, and old wooden casks, it clocks in at a remarkably crushable 10.5% ABV. Opening up with a complex aromatic combination of sweet raspberries and wild strawberries mixed with licorice and fern-like herbs. The palate is both light-bodied and exceptionally juicy effortlessly balancing the primary candy-sweetness of the table grapes with the fierce, mountain acidity of the Hokujun, all before giving way to a savory, complex finish highlighted by a fascinating hint of oolong tea, white pepper, and soft, delicate tannins.