Red wine

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

Kaya Tsutsui · 2019

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 24 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 an extended four long years of maturation in fiberglass tanks, spending a massive five years in the cellar prior to bottling. Crafted completely free of added sulfur under the guidance of consulting legend Hirotake Ooka, this 2019 vintage is the more balanced wine of the two vintages (2018 vs 2019), utilizing the natural harmony of the season to deliver a sleeker, ethereally texturized palate loaded with plush aromas of fresh red cherries, raspberries, field flowers, and a delicate, signature streak of earthy limestone iron.