{"title":"Japan","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"fattoria-al-fiore-rosato-kawasaki-2023","title":"Fattoria Al Fiore Rosato Kawasaki 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKawasaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNestled at the foot of the Zao mountain range in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi, Fattoria Al Fiore operates from a former school gymnasium. Founded in 2015 by Hirotaka and Reina Meguro, the old basketball court now houses rows of amphora filled with Koshu, Delaware and Muscat Bailey A, a quietly extraordinary setting for one of Japan's most compelling natural producers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Al Fiore', meaning 'single flower', takes its name from Hirotaka's former restaurant. The couple, supported by a small team, produce around 15,000 bottles annually. True to Japanese craft, each wine is made with precision and care. Grapes are scarce and treated with respect; every bottle is hand-numbered and dyed with persimmon. Working with both vinifera and labrusca varieties including Delaware, Steuben and Niagara, the wines are perfumed, delicate and well suited to Japanese cuisine. Made as naturally as possible, with no additives, fining or filtration, production is tiny and allocations are strictly limited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Rosato\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis wine has a story worth telling. In 2017, FAF received gift-quality Steuben grapes from their mentor, Mr. Ono, and from that serendipitous moment, the Rosato was born. It remains the only rosé in their flagship series, and in seven years of winemaking, they have only been able to produce it three times. Each release is an event.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis vintage takes a slightly different approach, blending Labrusca and Vinifera varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Neo Muscat, into a rare and deeply personal expression. Perfumed, delicate and alive, it is the kind of wine that rewards patience and presence. We are fortunate to have it in Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375382008001,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Fattoria_Al_Fiore_Rosato_Kawasaki_2023.jpg?v=1782964164"},{"product_id":"grape-republic-bianco-macerated-yamagata-2023","title":"Grape Republic Bianco Macerated Yamagata 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNan'yō, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrape Republic was founded by restaurateur and sommelier Kazuomi Fujimaki in 2015, who left Tokyo behind and moved to the village of Shinden in Yamagata. With no previous experience in winemaking, he set three simple rules for himself: cultivation must be organic, wines must be made without sulphur or additives, and they should preferably have a touch of amphora storage. The goal was to make live, clear Japanese wines in free style, using the grapes grown in Yamagata's orchards throughout the 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs with most Japanese wines, the wines we have on offer are made from a mix of vinifera and labrusca grapes, fermented in Spanish terracotta jars immersed in the winery's floor and then stored in steel tanks. The combination of different grapes and fermentations contributes energy and balance, while the interplay of clay and steel gives the wines a refreshing drinkability and pure reverberation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBianco Macerated 2023\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis wine sees skin contact for approximately one week across a mix of containers including resin tanks and amphorae, with 15% whole-cluster fermentation. The final blend is aged 60% in amphora and 40% in stainless steel, a combination that preserves both texture and freshness. Made from Delaware and Niagara grapes, the flavour carries citrus nuances reminiscent of persimmon, with a smoothness that is at once refreshing and deeply satisfying.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375424835777,"sku":null,"price":67.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Grape_Republic_Bianco_Macerated_Yamagata_2023.webp?v=1782964852"},{"product_id":"grape-republic-rosso-yamagata-2023","title":"Grape Republic Rosso Yamagata 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNan'yō, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrape Republic was founded by restaurateur and sommelier Kazuomi Fujimaki in 2015, who left Tokyo behind and moved to the village of Shinden in Yamagata. With no previous experience in winemaking, he set three simple rules for himself: cultivation must be organic, wines must be made without sulphur or additives, and they should preferably have a touch of amphora storage. The goal was to make live, clear Japanese wines in free style, using the grapes grown in Yamagata's orchards throughout the 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs with most Japanese wines, the wines we have on offer are made from a mix of vinifera and labrusca grapes, fermented in Spanish terracotta jars immersed in the winery's floor and then stored in steel tanks. The combination of different grapes and fermentations contributes energy and balance, while the interplay of clay and steel gives the wines a refreshing drinkability and pure reverberation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eRosso 2023\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFive grape varieties from Yamagata Prefecture, fully destemmed and skin-fermented for 6 to 15 days across stainless steel tanks and amphorae. The final blend is aged 50% in amphora, 40% in stainless steel and 10% in 500L old barrels, a combination that builds both depth and freshness. Made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Steuben, the wine opens with fresh berry fruit, spice, fern-like herbs and fragrant lift. A natural red of real character and precision.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375470055617,"sku":null,"price":67.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Grape_Republic_Rosso_Yamagata_2023.webp?v=1782965942"},{"product_id":"domaine-nakajima-table-wine-blanc-nagano-2024","title":"Domaine Nakajima Table Wine Blanc Nagano 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTōmi City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYutaka Nakajima embodies the archetype of a Japanese winemaker: low-key, thoughtful and deeply hands-on. From his small mountain house, he farms quietly and works in the cellar entirely by hand, using self-made, hand-cranked wooden tools to craft wines of quiet precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 850 metres above sea level in Tomi, Nagano, Domaine Nakajima sits within the Chikumagawa Wine Valley. The region's cooler, drier climate, closer to Europe than much of Japan, allows for the planting of primarily French varieties. Since 2011, Nakajima has cultivated Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chenin Blanc on a small slope threaded with wild grasses and herbs. In 2019, he added a higher-altitude site planted to Savagnin and Pinot Noir. Production remains tiny, just a few thousand bottles annually, alongside a charming pét-nat made with local growers from the traditional hybrid grape Kyoho.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTable Wine Blanc 2024\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEarly-harvest Delaware grapes were shade-dried for up to four weeks, then foot-trodden and basket-pressed before fermenting in resin tanks. Bottled during malolactic fermentation for a gentle natural pétillance, with no additives and 11% alcohol. Bright and expressive, with notes of melon, golden kiwi and green apple layered over peach nectar and a hint of anmitsu. Subtle fruit sweetness meets fresh acidity, finishing with a fine, balancing bitterness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375477526721,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Domaine_Nakajima_Table_Wine_Blanc.webp?v=1782966370"},{"product_id":"domaine-nakajima-pet-nat-rose-nagano-2023","title":"Domaine Nakajima Pet Nat Rose Nagano 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTōmi City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYutaka Nakajima embodies the archetype of a Japanese winemaker: low-key, thoughtful and deeply hands-on. From his small mountain house, he farms quietly and works in the cellar entirely by hand, using self-made, hand-cranked wooden tools to craft wines of quiet precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 850 metres above sea level in Tomi, Nagano, Domaine Nakajima sits within the Chikumagawa Wine Valley. The region's cooler, drier climate, closer to Europe than much of Japan, allows for the planting of primarily French varieties. Since 2011, Nakajima has cultivated Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chenin Blanc on a small slope threaded with wild grasses and herbs. In 2019, he added a higher-altitude site planted to Savagnin and Pinot Noir. Production remains tiny, just a few thousand bottles annually, alongside this charming pét-nat made with local growers from the traditional hybrid grape Kyoho.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePét Nat Rosé 2023\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUndeniably unique, this pét-nat is made from Kyoho, a table grape variety known for its large, deeply coloured berries. After harvest, the grapes are dried for two weeks before being pressed without any skin contact and fermented in bottle without sulphur or other additives. The result is a wine of rare character, delicate and alive, with the kind of quiet individuality that defines everything Nakajima makes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375504298177,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Domaine_Nakajima_Pet_Nat_Rose_Nagano_2023.jpg?v=1782967156"},{"product_id":"domaine-nakajima-cabernet-franc-2024","title":"Domaine Nakajima Cabernet Franc 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTōmi City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYutaka Nakajima embodies the archetype of a Japanese winemaker: low-key, thoughtful and deeply hands-on. From his small mountain house, he farms quietly and works in the cellar entirely by hand, using self-made, hand-cranked wooden tools to craft wines of quiet precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 850 metres above sea level in Tomi, Nagano, Domaine Nakajima sits within the Chikumagawa Wine Valley. The region's cooler, drier climate, closer to Europe than much of Japan, allows for the planting of primarily French varieties. Since 2011, Nakajima has cultivated Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chenin Blanc on a small slope threaded with wild grasses and herbs. In 2019, he added a higher-altitude site planted to Savagnin and Pinot Noir. Production remains tiny, just a few thousand bottles annually, each one shaped entirely by hand and by season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCabernet Franc 2024\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the rarest wines we carry. Cabernet Franc at this altitude, in this climate, in the hands of a producer like Nakajima, is something genuinely uncommon. The variety finds an extraordinary home in Nagano's mountain air, where cool nights preserve aromatic intensity and slow ripening builds a fineness of tannin that warmer climates rarely achieve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNakajima's Cabernet Franc is grown on the same small slope he has farmed since 2011, threaded with wild grasses and herbs that speak directly into the wine. Made entirely without additives, fining or filtration, it is a wine of transparency and restraint, where the grape and the place are allowed to speak without interference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn the nose, expect violet, dark cherry and a whisper of graphite, with an undercurrent of dried herbs and forest floor that is unmistakably Franc. The palate is at once structured and silky, with fine-grained tannins that carry the wine through a long, mineral finish. There is a tension here, a cool-climate energy, that makes it deeply compelling and genuinely age-worthy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProduction is extremely limited. This is the kind of bottle you open for a reason, and remember long after.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375509573825,"sku":null,"price":165.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Domaine_Nakajima_Cabernet_Franc_2024.webp?v=1782967661"},{"product_id":"domaine-nakajima-merlot-2023","title":"Domaine Nakajima Merlot 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTōmi City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYutaka Nakajima embodies the archetype of a Japanese winemaker: low-key, thoughtful and deeply hands-on. From his small mountain house, he farms quietly and works in the cellar entirely by hand, using self-made, hand-cranked wooden tools to craft wines of quiet precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 850 metres above sea level in Tomi, Nagano, Domaine Nakajima sits within the Chikumagawa Wine Valley. The region's cooler, drier climate, closer to Europe than much of Japan, allows for the planting of primarily French varieties. Since 2011, Nakajima has cultivated Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chenin Blanc on a small slope threaded with wild grasses and herbs. In 2019, he added a higher-altitude site planted to Savagnin and Pinot Noir. Production remains tiny, just a few thousand bottles annually, each one shaped entirely by hand and by season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMerlot 2023\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the rarest wines we carry. Merlot at altitude, in the cool mountain air of Nagano, is a very different proposition from the variety as it is commonly understood. Here, the warmth that Merlot typically demands is replaced by a slower, more considered ripening, one that trades plushness for precision and builds a wine of genuine complexity and restraint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrown on the same small slope Nakajima has farmed since 2011, the vines sit among wild grasses and herbs that find their way into the wine's character. Made entirely without additives, fining or filtration, this is Merlot stripped of convention and given back to the land. The result is something quietly extraordinary: a wine that feels both deeply Japanese in its discipline and unmistakably European in its bones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn the nose, ripe plum and dark cherry give way to dried rose, earth and a subtle mineral thread. The palate is supple and focused, with a silkiness that carries through to a long, clean finish. It is the kind of wine that rewards attention and improves with every sip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProduction is extremely limited. Once it is gone, it is gone.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375521108161,"sku":null,"price":165.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Domaine_Nakajima_Merlot_2023.webp?v=1782968457"},{"product_id":"le-bois-dazur-mon-petit-rouge-ibaraki-2024","title":"Le Bois d'Azur Mon Petit Rouge Ibaraki 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIbaraki Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFounded in 2020 on the quiet slopes of Mount Tsukuba, Le Bois d'Azur is guided by a simple, poetic ambition: to craft wines that will still feel at home in this landscape 100 years from now. Farming is thoughtful and restrained, without chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, allowing the vines to root deeply and express their place with clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the cellar, nothing is forced. Fermentations rely solely on indigenous yeasts, with no fining, filtration or added sulphur. Time in barrel allows the wines to settle and reveal themselves slowly, shaped as much by patience as by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe driving force behind the domaine is Makoto Aoki, a winemaker of rare pedigree. He trained in Beaune before working alongside respected natural producers including Domaine Petit-Roy and, most notably, Domaine des Miroirs, the celebrated Jura estate of Kenjiro Kagami, whose wines are among the most sought-after in the natural wine world. Aoki absorbed that philosophy of radical precision and minimal intervention before returning to Japan to establish Le Bois d'Azur. The influence is unmistakable in every bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMon Petit Rouge 2024\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2024 season was demanding. Rain, heat and mildew pressure required rigorous sorting in the vineyard, but careful harvesting delivered healthy, estate-grown Kyoho with real concentration and character. Fully destemmed and macerated for three weeks in stainless steel, the wine was then aged for ten months in old barrel, with indigenous yeast throughout and no additions of any kind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is a wine of vivid personality. Bright raspberry and acerola lift from the glass, edged with ume-shiso and a delicate floral thread. The palate is juicy and alive, with fresh red berries, lively acidity, a savoury broth-like nuance and a gentle, balancing bitterness that is distinctly Japanese in character. It is light on its feet but serious in intent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLe Bois d'Azur produces tiny quantities and allocations to Australia are extremely limited. This is a wine that is genuinely hard to get, and we are proud to have it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"appellance","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50375526187201,"sku":null,"price":130.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0843\/3428\/0897\/files\/Le_Bois_d_Azur_Mon_Petit_Rouge_Ibaraki_2024.jpg?v=1782969431"}],"url":"https:\/\/appellance.com\/collections\/japan.oembed","provider":"Appellance","version":"1.0","type":"link"}