About Bucci
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Merlot, Muscat Bailey A, Delaware
- Price Range
- ¥2,800-3,200
Bucci is Fattoria AL FIORE's rotating 'laboratory' bottling within the NECO series, named after Bucci, the tortoiseshell black cat who is the younger sister of the winery's cat Momo. Rather than following a fixed recipe, the winemakers use Bucci to experiment each vintage with new grape combinations and cellar techniques: the 2016 release blended whole-cluster-fermented Delaware (pressed, then re-macerated on Merlot skins) with a mixed field blend from the estate's own Kawasaki-machi vineyard in Miyagi, while the 2017 release combined free-run juice from Merlot, Muscat Bailey A, and Delaware, generously topped up with lees saved from the winery's other cuvées for extended sur lie contact. Because the blend and process change every year, the winery deliberately avoids fixed tasting-note claims, describing Bucci instead as a wine of complexity and depth that is still finding its shape — a deep ruby-red, food-friendly red that softens and gains citrus-like nuance with time in bottle.
Bucci is where Fattoria AL FIORE lets its curiosity run loose — a different experiment every vintage, and proof that a small Tohoku winery can turn leftover lees and free-run juice into something genuinely original.
New to wine?
A fun way to taste how much a wine can change year to year — approachable, juicy, and never quite the same twice.
Food Pairings
Its bright acidity and lees-derived umami make it a versatile match for grilled or roasted meats, mushroom dishes, and charcuterie. Serving it lightly chilled (around 13-15°C) suits its juicy, natural-wine character.
When to drink it
Great for natural wine tastings and casual dinners with friends who enjoy comparing vintages.
Terroir & Winemaking
Recipes vary by vintage. The 2016 bottling blended whole-cluster-fermented Delaware (pressed, then re-macerated on Merlot skins) with a mixed field blend from the estate's own Kawasaki-machi (Miyagi) vineyard — 9% ABV, about 1,200 bottles; grapes were Merlot (grower Ukado Ryokuhan, Kanuma, Tochigi) and Delaware (grower Kazuomi Fujimaki, Nanyo, Yamagata). The 2017 bottling used free-run juice from Merlot (Ohno Farm, Nanyo, Yamagata), Muscat Bailey A (Kosyu Vineyard, Katsunuma, Yamanashi), and Delaware (grower Hiroyuki Shibuya, Nanyo, Yamagata), topped up generously with lees reserved from other NECO cuvées for extended sur lie ageing — 11% ABV, about 1,295 bottles. No added cultured yeast, sugar, acid, or sulphites; unfined and unfiltered, consistent with the winery's house style.
About the producer
Fattoria AL FIOREAdditive-free natural wines from a converted schoolhouse in Miyagi.川崎町, 宮城県 · Founded 2015Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the name 'Bucci' mean?
- Bucci is named after one of the winery's cats — a tortoiseshell black cat who is the younger sister of Momo, another resident cat — following the NECO series' tradition of naming wines after them.
- What grapes are in Bucci?
- The blend changes by vintage. Recent bottlings have combined Merlot, Muscat Bailey A, and Delaware, or Merlot and Delaware together with mixed varieties from the estate's own Kawasaki-machi vineyard.
- Why doesn't the winery share detailed tasting notes for Bucci?
- The producer treats Bucci as an ongoing experiment in grape expression and winemaking technique, and prefers that drinkers discover each vintage's character for themselves rather than follow a fixed script.
- Is Bucci made without additives?
- Yes. In keeping with the winery's house style, Bucci is fermented with no added cultured yeast, sugar, acid, or sulphites, and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the Sommelier