
The Yamagata prefecture is situated in the lower part of the region of Tohoku and is home to mountain ranges that open to the sea. The region’s mostly isolated area keeps it from the hub of bustling cities, but the quality of the region’s sake is well known. There are over 60 sake breweries in the Yamagata region, and the oldest one goes back to the Japanese civil war at the start of the Edo era. The youngest brewery in the Yamagata prefecture still has ancient characteristics. A majority of the sake brewed in the prefecture is crafted and consumed in Yamagata, and only a small percentage of the sake wines actually leave the region. The brewers in the region are also mainly from the prefecture and only roughly 30 percent of the brewers come from outside the region. The cold weather lends a hand to sake brewing and most of the wines created here are crafted from rice that grows in the cold climate. These full bodied sakes are typically clean in taste and have character. The Yamagata prefecture boasts of well balanced sakes that are characteristic and unique in taste. The region continues to advance and develop new brewing methods.
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The Tempest was one of the first wines, and the first Proprietary Blend, we produced. At the time, it seemed almost uncanny that we were able to access three grape varietals at the same time from the same vineyard; it was blind luck or perhaps the proverbial “perfect storm.” The resulting wine reflected a fierce determination to brave the storm as well as a new desire to realize the possibilities of Merlot. The Tempest is still made with outstanding grapes, from vineyards such as Blair in Calistoga and cooler sites like Farella and Orchard. Predominantly Merlot with lesser amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon depending on vintage, The Tempest is a roiling cauldron of fresh red and blue fruit and silky tannins – a wine that shows what Merlot can be in the right hands, from the right vineyards.
Red fruit; silky tannins; more approachable in its youth
Review:
The 2022 The Tempest is a blend of 67% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of black raspberries, mulberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of lavender, wild sage, and aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bright, crunchy fruit with firm, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing on a lingering peppery note. This was bottled in March 2024.
Produced with Nebbiolo grapes from one of the highest plots in the area, at over 500 meters above sea level.
This is an elegant Nebbiolo - fresh and fruity with simple tannins (thanks to the white calcareous soil) and good minerality.
No oak. Aged on the lees for 4 months in Stainless Steel Tan
Fresh, fruity, mineral.
Pierin Valetta is one of the ancestor of the Family and these wines are dedicated to him as we would like to thank him for giving us vineyards that reach up to 70 years old.
Made from 20 years old vines planted on Limestone soils.
No Oak. The wine was aged on the lees for 4 months in Stainless Steel Tanks.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.