Red wine

Les Jardins de la Martinière '茜丘' (Akane no Oka)

Kaya Tsutsui · 2018

This pure and expressive natural red wine is crafted from 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from a highly sun-drenched, southeast-facing slope with an average vine age of 23 years rooted in clay-limestone soils. Reflecting its Japanese name “茜丘” (Akane no Oka) meaning "the sun setting over the hill", the fruit is manually destemmed and undergoes four weeks of maceration in glass-fiber tanks before being gravity-fed into barrels for one year of barrel aging, followed by another full year of tank integration. Bottled completely free of added sulfur under the guidance of consulting legend Hirotake Ooka, this warm 2018 vintage delivers a deeply textured, generous, and lively palate filled with plush aromas of ripe dark cassis, wild plum, grilled red bell pepper, and a complex earthy, rocky-iron undertone.