[Cave d'Occi Kiri ni Houou Pinot Noir 2023]

A special, once-in-a-lifetime release

Made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in our own vineyards.
Pinot Noir grapes from 26-year-old vines, planted since the winery's founding, were destemmed entirely, fermented with natural yeast, aged in old barrels for 9 months, and bottled with zero added sulfites.

Cave d'Occi Winery began experimenting with natural yeast in 2023, and one barrel made with natural yeast stood out from the start of barrel aging for its exceptional character, leading to it being bottled as a single-barrel release.
The texture achieved is a result of the intensely hot and dry vintage, allowing the full charm of a natural-style Pinot Noir to unfold.

The aroma carries notes of wild strawberry, violet, black cherry, rose, hints of a quiet sun-drenched forest and game, and an umami characteristic of natural wines. On the palate, a powerful umami and sweetness from pure fruit, accompanied by sufficient salinity, extends deeply into the throat.

・From Cave d'Occi Winery:
This wine makes a strong impact right from opening, but perhaps due to the nature of this winemaking method, it shows a decline after about 3 hours and becomes flawed the next day, making it a short-lived wine. I understand this is a difficult request, but I strongly urge you to drink it from the bottle.
I have always made my wines without sulfites, but this instability was frustrating, so in 2024, I added a very small amount of sulfites at bottling.
It is unlikely that I will ever make my wine from our own Pinot Noir again, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime wine.

◆Specs
Category: Red wine / Medium-bodied
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Size: 750ml
Producer: Cave d'Occi Winery
Production area: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture