The term ‘minerality’ is a very fashionable one in the vocabulary of wine, but it’s not easy to pinpoint exactly what it means. Ask a hundred wine experts and you’ll probably receive 100 different answers ranging from “an absence of fruit” to “licked pebbles”, and a few will no doubt take you down the rabbit holes of texture and terroir. Even the Oxford Wine Companion describes it as an “imprecise tasting term and elusive wine characteristic”. We’re not going to get embroiled in this sticky debate, other than to say if you want to experience it, buy yourself a bottle of Grace Wine’s Hishiyama Koshu Private Reserve.
The Koshu grapes for this wine come from a special vineyard at the eastern end of the Kofu Basin. The diverse soils and higher altitude here create wines that are bafflingly complex considering how delicate they are. Crunchy pear, green apple, lemon sorbet, the lime in your G&T, vanilla, steel, flint, blossom, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, a waft of smoke and the saline whip of a sea breeze. As refreshing as a cold shower, but far more enjoyable. Fans of the top wines from Graves, Chablis and Sancerre will find much to love in this vegan-friendly Japanese white.
Katsunuma was a town in Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture. It was the birthplace of the Japanese wine industry. The Misawa family behind Grace Wine can trace their winemaking history back to 1923, when Chotaro Misawa released his first wine from the town. The ‘Grace’ brand was established in 1953 and has been one of the country’s most famous names ever since. The winery is now run by Ayana Misawa, who was born in Katsunuma Town. After studying in Bordeaux and Stellenbosch, she worked at wineries in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, before returning to Japan with a wealth of experience to take over the family business. In 2005, Katsunuma, the city of Enzan, and the neighbouring village of Yamato, were merged to create the city of KÅshÅ«. This is the home of the indigenous Koshu grape that is synonymous with viticulture in Japan. This pink-skinned grape has thick skins that can withstand the humidity of a Japanese summer and creates delicate wines that make a fine pairing for sushi and sashimi.
As a dinner party fact to impress your guests, it’s worth noting that Grace Wine uses little paper umbrellas to protect the individual bunches of grapes from direct sunshine, allowing them to ripen perfectly.
SKU No.: 4175883
Style No.: 960556
Grapes: Koshu
Closure: Screw
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 12%
Volume: 750ml
Allergens: Sulphites
The term ‘minerality’ is a very fashionable one in the vocabulary of wine, but it’s not easy to pinpoint exactly what it means. Ask a hundred wine experts and you’ll probably receive 100 different answers ranging from “an absence of fruit” to “licked pebbles”, and a few will no doubt take you down the rabbit holes of texture and terroir. Even the Oxford Wine Companion describes it as an “imprecise tasting term and elusive wine characteristic”. We’re not going to get embroiled in this sticky debate, other than to say if you want to experience it, buy yourself a bottle of Grace Wine’s Hishiyama Koshu Private Reserve.
The Koshu grapes for this wine come from a special vineyard at the eastern end of the Kofu Basin. The diverse soils and higher altitude here create wines that are bafflingly complex considering how delicate they are. Crunchy pear, green apple, lemon sorbet, the lime in your G&T, vanilla, steel, flint, blossom, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, a waft of smoke and the saline whip of a sea breeze. As refreshing as a cold shower, but far more enjoyable. Fans of the top wines from Graves, Chablis and Sancerre will find much to love in this vegan-friendly Japanese white.
Katsunuma was a town in Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture. It was the birthplace of the Japanese wine industry. The Misawa family behind Grace Wine can trace their winemaking history back to 1923, when Chotaro Misawa released his first wine from the town. The ‘Grace’ brand was established in 1953 and has been one of the country’s most famous names ever since. The winery is now run by Ayana Misawa, who was born in Katsunuma Town. After studying in Bordeaux and Stellenbosch, she worked at wineries in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, before returning to Japan with a wealth of experience to take over the family business. In 2005, Katsunuma, the city of Enzan, and the neighbouring village of Yamato, were merged to create the city of KÅshÅ«. This is the home of the indigenous Koshu grape that is synonymous with viticulture in Japan. This pink-skinned grape has thick skins that can withstand the humidity of a Japanese summer and creates delicate wines that make a fine pairing for sushi and sashimi.
As a dinner party fact to impress your guests, it’s worth noting that Grace Wine uses little paper umbrellas to protect the individual bunches of grapes from direct sunshine, allowing them to ripen perfectly.
SKU No.: 4175883
Style No.: 960556