Ichiro Ueda wines, Domaine Ichi, are strongly influenced by his experiences working with Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko. Like Domaine Takahiko, project focuses on pinot noir (with a small amount of pinot gris) and the only additive used may be a small amount of SO2.
Ancient native Japanese variety “Yamabudo (Amurensis)” is grown naturally, without fertilizers or pesticides. Yoichi region in Hokkaido is home to numerous Jomon ruins (14500 to 300 BC, equivalent to the Neolithic, a people of hunters and gatherers who gradually settled in villages with semi-buried houses), and it is said Jomon made and drank mountain grape alcohol.
This is a natural wine made from mountain grapes (Amurensis), vinified in most natural way possible, in homage to mountain grape drink of the time: wild yeast, unfiltered and sulfite-free. At our winemaker's, grapes are harvested late, leaving them on vines just before snow showers (or even harvesting as snow falls), so that water in grapes evaporates and they are partially dried, increasing their sugar content and concentrating their flavor.
As it seemed a little too “wild”, they decided to let it age, and just recently released the first 2020 vintage. Nose is highly aromatic and complex, with notes of humus, caramel, conifer and smoke. Acidity is sweet and spicy, flavors rich and ripe, umami from grapes very present. Tannins combine with a certain sweetness hidden in acidity.
This wine has concentrated power, a wild, spicy flavor and round acidity. We recommend opening this wine 24 to 48 hours in advance for optimum tasting. This wine can be kept for a long time, and we recommend drinking it after 6 to 8 years.
Recommendations : Deer meat (red deer, roe deer), smoked meat, dried fruit, nuts, cheeses (Epoisse, brie, camembert, Munster, Maroilles, Pont l'Evêque, Livarot, Gorgonzola).
Recommended serving temperature: +15℃ +18°C
