Hirosaki Nebbiolo

HIROSAKI NEBBIOLO 2020

Region: Aomori, Japan

Grape: Nebbiolo

Category: Red

Japanese Nebbiolo is better than I expected. I was impressed.

The pale garnet color with a hint of orange is sure to excite.
I thought it was still too early for the 2020 vintage...
It is well-fleshed out, goes down smoothly, and leaves a nice, lingering aftertaste.
Ripe red berry and cherry fruit, very soft tannins, and a perfect balance of acidity.

This is Sassino's signature wine, made from Nebbiolo grapes aged 8 to 16 years old and grown in the company's own 1.5 hectare vineyards overlooking Mount Iwaki, the sacred mountain of Tsugaru.
Although there was a lot of rainfall in the summer and fall of 2020, it was the most productive vintage ever.
All fully ripe Nebbiolo grapes are hand-picked and carefully selected before being made into wine, which then undergoes malolactic fermentation and ages for approximately 10 months in 228L barrels from France.

[Producer information]

Michiaki Sasamori of Osteria Enoteca da Sasino, an Italian restaurant in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, which is committed to locally produced and locally consumed ingredients, obtained a brewing license in 2010 because he wanted to make wine from grapes he grew himself.
We cultivate and brew grapes such as Nebbiolo, Malvasia, and Chardonnay in fields overlooking the sacred Mount Iwaki.

The current vineyard is 1.4 hectares in size and mainly produces the Italian grape variety Nebbiolo.
The amount of Nebbiolo produced in Japan is still low, so if the reputation of this winery increases, it may attract attention from around the world. As a way of giving back to Hirosaki, he spends his days working with wine.
He took the initiative to make Hirosaki City a "house wine special zone." Although he struggled to make wine like no other before, his wine is now highly regarded.