Azucca e Azucco Ookami no Spumante

About this wine

Ookami no Spumante — Kimi ni Sachi Are! ("In Bocca al Lupo! Bianco") is Azucca e Azucco's blanc de blancs sparkling wine, made from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay at their Kaze no Oka vineyard in Toyota, Aichi. Following the winery's tradition of using a different Italian-inflected name and label for each vintage, this cuvee borrows the Italian good-luck idiom "in bocca al lupo" (literally "into the wolf's mouth," the Italian equivalent of "break a leg"), rendered in Japanese as Ookami no Spumante ("the wolf's spumante"). The base wine is aged in a mix of new and old oak barrels before undergoing secondary fermentation in the bottle via the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle), then finished as a zero-dosage Brut Nature. Produced in tiny quantities and released only through the winery's twice-yearly reservation sales, it sells out almost immediately each vintage.

Sommelier's Note

"Barrel-aged, bottle-fermented, zero-dosage Chardonnay from a winery that sells out twice a year — this is one of the most serious small-production sparkling wines Japan makes, and worth securing the moment it's released."

Food Pairings

Its crisp, bone-dry profile and baked-apple aromatics make it a natural match for egg dishes (dashimaki tamago, chawanmushi), simple white fish preparations, fried seafood, and fresh soft cheeses. The zero-dosage acidity also cuts nicely through lightly salted grilled chicken.

When to drink it

Celebratory toasts, aperitif hour, or as the sparkling opener to a Japanese kaiseki-style dinner.

Specs

Grape Varieties

Chardonnay

Style

Sparkling

Price Range

¥6,500-7,400

Terroir & Winemaking

100% estate-grown Chardonnay from the Kaze no Oka vineyard. Base wine barrel-fermented/aged using a combination of new and old oak, then bottled with tirage for secondary fermentation via the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle). Finished as a blanc de blancs, Brut Nature (zero dosage), with no fining or filtration beyond minimal intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'Ookami no Spumante' / 'In Bocca al Lupo!' mean?

It references the Italian idiom "in bocca al lupo" (literally "into the wolf's mouth"), the Italian equivalent of "break a leg" used to wish someone good luck. The Japanese name, Ookami no Spumante — Kimi ni Sachi Are, translates that sentiment as "the wolf's spumante — may fortune be with you."

What grape is it made from and how is it produced?

It's a blanc de blancs made from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay, aged in new and old oak barrels, then given a secondary fermentation in the bottle via the traditional method and finished as a zero-dosage Brut Nature.

What does it taste like?

Bone-dry and crisp, with aromas reminiscent of baked apple, citrus, and a fine, persistent mousse from bottle aging on the lees.

What food pairs well with it?

Egg dishes like dashimaki tamago and chawanmushi, simple white fish, tempura, and fresh soft cheeses all pair beautifully with its crisp, zero-dosage acidity.

Is it easy to find?

No — Azucca e Azucco releases it only through reservation sales twice a year in very limited quantities, and each vintage typically sells out almost immediately.