Description
Rising Star in Hokkaido – HIRAKAWA Atsuo
Hirakawa Winery founded in 2015, is located in Yoichi on the Japan’s Sea coastline on Hokkaido island. The 5 hectares vineyard features a beautiful hill on south exposure followed by a mix between mild humidity sea climate and fresh dry mountain climate. These lands host delicious fruits for more than 60 years, affirming therefore the expected quality for the future. The winery itself is surrounded by the vineyard. Most of the growing surface is dedicated for white grape varieties such as Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer, and also produce few red grapes like Rondo and Pinot Noir.
HIRAKAWA Atsuo is the estate owner and features a strong experience acquired in France and abroad for more than a decade. Mr. Hirakawa is sommelier, agricultural engineer and oenologist. These three graduations serve him to widely understand the wine industry and market, from the vine growing to the food and wine pairing in starred restaurants where he used to work previously. As winemaker he worked in some prestigious terroirs such as Margaux, Puligny-Montrachet, Chinon… as well in South Africa, New-Zealand and Japan. As a skilled wine connoisseur and enthusiast he hopes to lead his estate on the difficult path of quality and refinement.
All Grape Varieties Undisclosed, Reflecting the Terrior of Yoichi
The black grapes from 2022 are destemmed and crushed, then skin contact for 1~2 hours, pressed, debruberged, and then fermented in a stainless steel tank, and matured in contact with fine lees derived from yeast without MLF. Since this is aged with taking in a lot of oxygen, it is finished in a long-ageing type of Rose wine.
It is rich in aromas of red fruits such as framboise, wild strawberries, gooseberries, acerola, and lingonberries, and also nuances of peppermint, laurel, rosemary, refreshing herbs, rosehips, red roses, kelp broth and flint. Rich in fruit flavor and comes in quickly, but the acid is clean and lively, and the finish has a minerality and umami similar to saltiness, along with the depth of taste of rosé wine.
Data
| Variety (Cultivar) | 100% grapes grown in Yoichi Town |
|---|---|
| Winery | Hirakawa Winery |
| Origin | Yoichi Town, Hokkaido |
Pairings
- Pasta
- Yakitori
- Pizza
