About Chateau Charmant Cabernet Franc Ojiro Unfiltered
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Cabernet Franc
- Price Range
- ¥5,000-6,000
- Alcohol
- 12%
Chateau Charmant Cabernet Franc Ojiro Unfiltered is a 100% Cabernet Franc red wine from Charmant Wine (Eigashima Shuzo's Yamanashi winery), grown in the single-vineyard Ojiro area of Shirasu, Hakushu, Hokuto City, Yamanashi, at the foot of the Southern Alps' Mt. Kaikomagatake. Yields are deliberately kept low to concentrate the fruit. After fermentation the wine is aged in a blend of long-used Limousin oak and new Tronçais oak barrels — the seasoned barrels lending depth, the new oak adding brightness — then bottled unfiltered to preserve its natural texture. It is a full-bodied red with soft, faintly sweet tannins and a gentle sweetness lingering on the finish, food-friendly with both light and rich dishes; its aromatics keep opening up after opening and remain vivid even the following day. This cuvée is released periodically from the winery's own Ojiro vineyard (recent lots have been sourced from 2016-2017 harvests) and won a Bronze Medal at the 2021 Japan Wine Challenge.
This unfiltered, barrel-blended Cabernet Franc from Charmant Wine's Ojiro vineyard shows why the variety has become the winery's signature — concentrated fruit, soft tannin, and a gentle sweetness on the finish that belies its full body.
New to wine?
A great introduction to Japanese single-vineyard Cabernet Franc — soft, food-friendly tannins without heavy intensity, thanks to careful barrel aging and unfiltered bottling.
Food Pairings
Soft tannins and a full body make it food-friendly across the board — the producer notes it pairs equally well with light and rich dishes. Good matches include grilled or braised red meats and semi-hard aged cheeses; in a Japanese meal it works nicely with beef sukiyaki or shabu-shabu.
When to drink it
A good choice for a special dinner featuring red meat, or as a gift for someone exploring Japanese fine wine.
Terroir & Winemaking
Single-vineyard Cabernet Franc (100%) from the Ojiro area of Shirasu, Hakushu, Hokuto City, Yamanashi — well-drained sandy soil and a cool, high-altitude climate with wide diurnal swings. Yields limited to concentrate the fruit. Aged after fermentation in a blend of well-used Limousin oak and new Tronçais oak barrels, blended together at bottling, then bottled unfiltered. ABV approximately 12%; 720ml bottle; full-bodied red. Produced at Eigashima Shuzo's Yamanashi Winery (Charmant Wine), Shirasu, Hakushu-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi. This cuvée is released periodically rather than every vintage (recent lots sourced from 2016-2017 harvests). Won a Bronze Medal at the 2021 Japan Wine Challenge.
About the producer
Charmant WineHokuto estate winery devoted to Cabernet Franc北杜市, 山梨県 · Founded 1963Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What does this wine taste like?
- A full-bodied red with concentrated dark fruit, soft tannins carrying a faint natural sweetness, and a gentle sweetness on the finish; its aromatics keep opening up and remain vivid even a day after opening.
- Is this wine filtered?
- No — it is bottled unfiltered to preserve the natural texture and character of the 100% Cabernet Franc fruit.
- What food pairs well with it?
- Its soft tannins make it food-friendly with both light and rich dishes, including grilled red meats and Japanese beef dishes like sukiyaki.
- Has it won any awards?
- Yes, this cuvée won a Bronze Medal at the 2021 Japan Wine Challenge.
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