Kawasaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Nestled 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. 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 limited. We are fortunate to have them in Australia.

Anco Skin Contact 2023

Anco is a macerated expression of Delaware, the most widely grown grape in the region and the variety that defines much of Miyagi's wine identity. On the nose it carries an oriental warmth: squeezed mandarin, apricot, cinnamon and ginger. In the 2023 vintage, the team worked to develop a more pronounced acid line for this cuvée, adding a muscular quality alongside the wine's natural complexity. A touch of volatility gives it further dimension and drive.

Perfumed, spiced and deeply expressive of its place, Anco is a wine that rewards those willing to explore beyond the familiar. Production is extremely limited. Once it is gone, it is gone.