Cuvée Misawa
VINTAGE 2022
Merlot (fruitiness),Petit Verdot (spices) and Cabernet Franc (elegance) , carefully grown on the Misawa Vineyard, are each vinified in small batches, separated by lot and variety until just before bottling, and matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. The grapes are brought to the winery immediately after harvest, where they will undergo a two-stage sort process and spontaneous fermentation. After maturation, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration. The grape variety composition depends on the year's performance, with no wines produced in years when the weather was not favourable.
Detail
Basic Data
- Production area
- Misawa Vineyard, Akeno town (cho), Yamanashi Prefecture
- Grape varieties
- Merlot (56％) Petit Verdot (25%) Cabernet Franc (19%)
- Altitude
- 700m
- Soil
- volcanic ash
- Vinification
- 18 months maturation in French oak barrel
- Type
- Red
Vintage
2022
From March to May, the weather was favourable with sufficient rainfall and sunlight. Budburst kicked-off earlier than usual, giving a smooth start to growth.
Thereafter, berry development went at a relaxed pace due to the dry rainy season and low rainfall, but there were few cases of diseases or physiological disorders, and the ending of the rainy season ahead of time brought precocious véraison to some vineyards as early as the end of July.
Despite occasional downpour, the summer months passed by with little precipitation, and the diurnal temperature differences, with high daytime and low night-time temperatures, resulted in healthy growth with higher than usual accumulation of berry sugar content.
This year's vinification period began ahead of time in mid-August with the harvesting of Chardonnay grapes for sparkling wine in the Hishiyama area of Katsunuma.
Although there was a typhoon in mid-September, the weather and growing conditions were similar to those in previous years, with no damages.
The weather up to the summer seemed to indicate that the grapes would ripen at an unprecedented rate, but when looked back, the harvest at Akeno Town, Hokuto City, took place in the second week of November.
The 2022 vintage saw the longest vinification period. The grapes were meticulously cared-for up to harvest time and were picked under the best possible conditions.
2021
March to May was blessed with good weather, with light to moderate rain and low to reasonable sunshine. Budding started off quickly, kicking off steady growth. The rainy season in June was also mild, with no diseases, and fruit set went well. The rainy season concluded 16 days earlier, sunny weather continued, and maturity started at the end of July. There was some stagnation due to heavy rain, lack of light, and low temperature in mid-August, but good weather continued from late August onwards, and the delay brought about by the cool summer was recovered. October was most peculiar. Temperature was high nationwide, but temperature differences between day and night were large. A patient wait for maturation was paid off with a satisfactory harvest.
2020
In 2020, the warm winter gave way to spring and budburst went well. With good rainfall and plenty of sunshine, flowering and fruit set went well. The rainy season brought long rains and lack of sunshine, slowing down the growth of the grapes, but with proper pest control and rain shade application, only minor damages were sustained. Summer came following the end of the rainy season, bringing fine weather, seeming to compensate for the earlier lack of sunshine. The delayed ripening of the grapes gradually recovered, with the start of Koshu harvest on par with previous years. Autumn rains in September and Typhoon no. 14 in October put us on high alert until the latter half of harvest. However, with the management of grapes to suitable ripeness, while removing infected berries, we were able to us to gather healthy grapes for vinification.
2019
Vine growth went smoothly from April to June, with little rain and plenty of sunlight. In other parts of the Yamanashi prefecture, there were rainy days in July, and August was cloudy, but the influence on Misawa Vineyard was limited, and impact on grapes was minimized via proper management. In September, the lingering summer heat was scorching, and fine weather persisted, enabling the slowed maturity period due to the late arrival of summer to catch up. Record typhoons and heavy rains struck the Japanese archipelago from mid- to late October, but fortunately damage was modest, and we were able to wait for proper ripening before harvest. By taking care of our vineyards meticulously up to harvest, we were able to enter harvest in the best possible conditions. Acidity levels were generally high for the 2019 vintage, and the resulting wines were tight with tension.
2018
In 2018, the rainy season ended early by the end of June, and maturity progressed ahead of the usual schedule. In October, we celebrated the harvest of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Due to pruning and pre-véraison yield restrictions, the harvest was about 30% less than usual, but both varieties achieved over 23 brix, showcasing the characteristics of Akeno, with both ripeness while retaining refreshing acidity.
At Misawa Vineyards, each grape variety is managed by lot right up to bottling. Until last year, Cuvée Misawa has been mainly a blend of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, such as the Merlot-dominated 2017, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2015. For 2018, with repeated barrel tastings, it was the three barrels of Cabernet Franc that most captured our hearts. We wanted to challenge ourselves to create a 'Cuvee Misawa' based on the ultra-elegant character of Cabernet Franc. As a child, I once tried some Cabernet Franc grapes and was impressed by their delicious skins. Instead of using the press portion during pressing, I vinify the wine with care to preserve the soft tannins of Cabernet Franc which I experienced in the past by collecting only the free-run wine that naturally dripped from the tank. The varietal composition of the wine is different from previous Cuvée Misawas, but the tradition of "half of a good wine comes from viticulture, and the other half from handcrafting" is expressed clearly on the palate.
Varietal composition: Cabernet Franc (90%), Petit Verdot (10%)
2017
In 2017, rainfall was very low in both the early summer and during the rainy season, bringing positive effects to flowering and fruiting, leading to natural yield restrictions. I recalled we were expecting a great vintage. The blue summer sky spreaded throughout August. In September, temperature differences between day and night exceeded 20°C. Although there were two typhoons in October, the growing season was able to capitalised on the earlier weather advantages, and by pinpointing the timing of maturity and harvest, it resulted in being an ideal vintage. Blessed with excellent September weather, the 2017 vintage used Merlot as foundation, with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot as core, forming a powerful but graceful assemblage. In addition, by blending in the only barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon which was ripe with uncompromising quality despite October being affected by two typhoons, we were truly able to express the essence of Cuvée Misawa - a wine made from the best lot.
Varietal composition: Merlot (53%), Cabernet Franc (23%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Petit Verdot (12%)
2016
We decided the harvest would not match the quality for Cuvée Misawa, so we declassified it to the second wine.
2015
2015 was blessed with excellent weather in October. Cabernet Sauvignon achieved 25 Brix. At such a cool production area at 700m above sea level, this was the ripest Cabernet Sauvignon we ever had. The final blend was made up of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Petit Verdot and Merlot.
Varietal composition: Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Petit Verdot (28%), Merlot (17%)
Winemaker’s Message
While I was still a student, the 1999 harvest was deeply engraved in my heart.
Before establishing our vineyard in Akeno, my father said to me during the harvest at Toriibira Vineyard, "If you hesitate, throw them all away," and that year we only produced one barrel of Merlot. "Cuvée Misawa" is an uncompromising wine, not because it is part of my family business, but it is also the symbolic wine I have always admired and longed to devote myself on with all my heart, when I vowed to become a winemaker.
Selection will take place right after harvest, fermentation is managed by daily tasting, and no press run is used during pressing, but rather the free run that drips naturally from the tanks will go into French oak barrels where it will spend 18-20 months.
At Misawa Vineyard, the wine is matured by variety and harvest lot until just before bottling. Cuvée Misawa is produced from the best blends of the year's lots, such as the Cabernet Franc-dominated 2019 and 2018, the Merlot-dominated 2017, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2015. Some vintages, as in 2016 when the weather was not on our side, the wine was not produced. A wine made with the winemaker's meticulous eye, from viticulture to vinification, without disregarding science but at the same time not being too biased towards technology-intensive winemaking, this is Cuvée Misawa.
Cuvée Misawa
VINTAGE 2022
Merlot (fruitiness),Petit Verdot (spices) and Cabernet Franc (elegance) , carefully grown on the Misawa Vineyard, are each vinified in small batches, separated by lot and variety until just before bottling, and matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. The grapes are brought to the winery immediately after harvest, where they will undergo a two-stage sort process and spontaneous fermentation. After maturation, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration. The grape variety composition depends on the year's performance, with no wines produced in years when the weather was not favourable.
Detail
Basic Data
- Production area
- Misawa Vineyard, Akeno town (cho), Yamanashi Prefecture
- Grape varieties
- Merlot (56％) Petit Verdot (25%) Cabernet Franc (19%)
- Altitude
- 700m
- Soil
- volcanic ash
- Vinification
- 18 months maturation in French oak barrel
- Type
- Red
Vintage
2022
From March to May, the weather was favourable with sufficient rainfall and sunlight. Budburst kicked-off earlier than usual, giving a smooth start to growth.
Thereafter, berry development went at a relaxed pace due to the dry rainy season and low rainfall, but there were few cases of diseases or physiological disorders, and the ending of the rainy season ahead of time brought precocious véraison to some vineyards as early as the end of July.
Despite occasional downpour, the summer months passed by with little precipitation, and the diurnal temperature differences, with high daytime and low night-time temperatures, resulted in healthy growth with higher than usual accumulation of berry sugar content.
This year's vinification period began ahead of time in mid-August with the harvesting of Chardonnay grapes for sparkling wine in the Hishiyama area of Katsunuma.
Although there was a typhoon in mid-September, the weather and growing conditions were similar to those in previous years, with no damages.
The weather up to the summer seemed to indicate that the grapes would ripen at an unprecedented rate, but when looked back, the harvest at Akeno Town, Hokuto City, took place in the second week of November.
The 2022 vintage saw the longest vinification period. The grapes were meticulously cared-for up to harvest time and were picked under the best possible conditions.
2021
March to May was blessed with good weather, with light to moderate rain and low to reasonable sunshine. Budding started off quickly, kicking off steady growth. The rainy season in June was also mild, with no diseases, and fruit set went well. The rainy season concluded 16 days earlier, sunny weather continued, and maturity started at the end of July. There was some stagnation due to heavy rain, lack of light, and low temperature in mid-August, but good weather continued from late August onwards, and the delay brought about by the cool summer was recovered. October was most peculiar. Temperature was high nationwide, but temperature differences between day and night were large. A patient wait for maturation was paid off with a satisfactory harvest.
2020
In 2020, the warm winter gave way to spring and budburst went well. With good rainfall and plenty of sunshine, flowering and fruit set went well. The rainy season brought long rains and lack of sunshine, slowing down the growth of the grapes, but with proper pest control and rain shade application, only minor damages were sustained. Summer came following the end of the rainy season, bringing fine weather, seeming to compensate for the earlier lack of sunshine. The delayed ripening of the grapes gradually recovered, with the start of Koshu harvest on par with previous years. Autumn rains in September and Typhoon no. 14 in October put us on high alert until the latter half of harvest. However, with the management of grapes to suitable ripeness, while removing infected berries, we were able to us to gather healthy grapes for vinification.
2019
Vine growth went smoothly from April to June, with little rain and plenty of sunlight. In other parts of the Yamanashi prefecture, there were rainy days in July, and August was cloudy, but the influence on Misawa Vineyard was limited, and impact on grapes was minimized via proper management. In September, the lingering summer heat was scorching, and fine weather persisted, enabling the slowed maturity period due to the late arrival of summer to catch up. Record typhoons and heavy rains struck the Japanese archipelago from mid- to late October, but fortunately damage was modest, and we were able to wait for proper ripening before harvest. By taking care of our vineyards meticulously up to harvest, we were able to enter harvest in the best possible conditions. Acidity levels were generally high for the 2019 vintage, and the resulting wines were tight with tension.
2018
In 2018, the rainy season ended early by the end of June, and maturity progressed ahead of the usual schedule. In October, we celebrated the harvest of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Due to pruning and pre-véraison yield restrictions, the harvest was about 30% less than usual, but both varieties achieved over 23 brix, showcasing the characteristics of Akeno, with both ripeness while retaining refreshing acidity.
At Misawa Vineyards, each grape variety is managed by lot right up to bottling. Until last year, Cuvée Misawa has been mainly a blend of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, such as the Merlot-dominated 2017, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2015. For 2018, with repeated barrel tastings, it was the three barrels of Cabernet Franc that most captured our hearts. We wanted to challenge ourselves to create a 'Cuvee Misawa' based on the ultra-elegant character of Cabernet Franc. As a child, I once tried some Cabernet Franc grapes and was impressed by their delicious skins. Instead of using the press portion during pressing, I vinify the wine with care to preserve the soft tannins of Cabernet Franc which I experienced in the past by collecting only the free-run wine that naturally dripped from the tank. The varietal composition of the wine is different from previous Cuvée Misawas, but the tradition of "half of a good wine comes from viticulture, and the other half from handcrafting" is expressed clearly on the palate.
Varietal composition: Cabernet Franc (90%), Petit Verdot (10%)
2017
In 2017, rainfall was very low in both the early summer and during the rainy season, bringing positive effects to flowering and fruiting, leading to natural yield restrictions. I recalled we were expecting a great vintage. The blue summer sky spreaded throughout August. In September, temperature differences between day and night exceeded 20°C. Although there were two typhoons in October, the growing season was able to capitalised on the earlier weather advantages, and by pinpointing the timing of maturity and harvest, it resulted in being an ideal vintage. Blessed with excellent September weather, the 2017 vintage used Merlot as foundation, with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot as core, forming a powerful but graceful assemblage. In addition, by blending in the only barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon which was ripe with uncompromising quality despite October being affected by two typhoons, we were truly able to express the essence of Cuvée Misawa - a wine made from the best lot.
Varietal composition: Merlot (53%), Cabernet Franc (23%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Petit Verdot (12%)
2016
We decided the harvest would not match the quality for Cuvée Misawa, so we declassified it to the second wine.
2015
2015 was blessed with excellent weather in October. Cabernet Sauvignon achieved 25 Brix. At such a cool production area at 700m above sea level, this was the ripest Cabernet Sauvignon we ever had. The final blend was made up of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Petit Verdot and Merlot.
Varietal composition: Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Petit Verdot (28%), Merlot (17%)
Winemaker’s Message
While I was still a student, the 1999 harvest was deeply engraved in my heart.
Before establishing our vineyard in Akeno, my father said to me during the harvest at Toriibira Vineyard, "If you hesitate, throw them all away," and that year we only produced one barrel of Merlot. "Cuvée Misawa" is an uncompromising wine, not because it is part of my family business, but it is also the symbolic wine I have always admired and longed to devote myself on with all my heart, when I vowed to become a winemaker.
Selection will take place right after harvest, fermentation is managed by daily tasting, and no press run is used during pressing, but rather the free run that drips naturally from the tanks will go into French oak barrels where it will spend 18-20 months.
At Misawa Vineyard, the wine is matured by variety and harvest lot until just before bottling. Cuvée Misawa is produced from the best blends of the year's lots, such as the Cabernet Franc-dominated 2019 and 2018, the Merlot-dominated 2017, and the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2015. Some vintages, as in 2016 when the weather was not on our side, the wine was not produced. A wine made with the winemaker's meticulous eye, from viticulture to vinification, without disregarding science but at the same time not being too biased towards technology-intensive winemaking, this is Cuvée Misawa.
