About SAYS FARM Private Reserve Chardonnay
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Chardonnay
- Price Range
- ¥6,999-7,000
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
SAYS FARM Private Reserve Chardonnay is the winery's top-tier Chardonnay, made from 100% estate-grown fruit from Himi's most select hillside parcels overlooking Toyama Bay, in years judged strong enough to bottle it. Unlike the winery's standard, stainless-steel-fermented Chardonnay, the Private Reserve is barrel-fermented and aged, giving it a deeper golden color and a layered nose of vanilla and toasted oak over the estate's signature salty, sea-breeze minerality, citrus, and honeyed fruit. Production is tightly limited — around 1,800 bottles in the 2022 vintage — and the wine's firmer structure and concentration make it Japan's most acclaimed reserve-tier Chardonnay by several retailers, built to reward several years of bottle age.
SAYS FARM's oaked answer to its own unoaked flagship — richer, deeper, and built to age, this is the bottle that proves Himi Chardonnay belongs on the world stage.
New to wine?
A step up from the entry Chardonnay — those who enjoy buttery, barrel-aged whites like white Burgundy will find this an easy match.
Food Pairings
The barrel-derived richness and firmer structure pair well with grilled or butter-basted Himi yellowtail, roasted white fish, and dishes with cream or butter sauces; it also stands up to soft, washed-rind cheeses.
When to drink it
A special dinner featuring seafood, a gift for Japanese-wine enthusiasts, or a bottle worth cellaring for a few years.
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Chardonnay from selected estate blocks in Himi, produced only in vintages the winery judges strong enough for the reserve tier. Barrel-fermented and barrel-aged (unlike the stainless-steel-vinified standard Chardonnay), yielding vanilla and toasted-oak character layered over the estate's mineral, citrus, and honey notes. The 2022 vintage was limited to roughly 1,792 bottles; the 2023 vintage is 12.5% ABV.
About the producer
SAYS FARMEstate wines from a Himi hilltop overlooking Toyama Bay氷見市, 富山県 · Founded 2007Visit the producer page →More wines from SAYS FARM
- AWA MerlotSparkling · Merlot
- AWA RoséSparkling · Merlot · Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot A3Red · Merlot
- SAYS FARM ChardonnayWhite · Chardonnay
- SAYS FARM Chardonnay-Albariño Jūnichō VineyardWhite · Chardonnay · Albariño
- SAYS FARM Ojiko ChardonnayWhite · Chardonnay
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is Private Reserve Chardonnay different from SAYS FARM's standard Chardonnay?
- The standard Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel to highlight pure fruit character, while the Private Reserve is barrel-fermented and barrel-aged from selected estate blocks, giving it vanilla and toasted-oak notes, a deeper color, and a firmer structure.
- What does SAYS FARM Private Reserve Chardonnay taste like?
- It shows a salty, sea-breeze minerality layered with citrus, honey, and barrel-derived vanilla and nutty butter notes, with a fuller body and firmer structure than the entry-level Chardonnay.
- Is Private Reserve Chardonnay made every vintage?
- No. SAYS FARM only bottles it in years it judges strong enough for the reserve tier, and production is limited to roughly 1,800 bottles in a typical vintage such as 2022.
- How long can I age SAYS FARM Private Reserve Chardonnay?
- Reviewers note it has enough structure to improve for several years in bottle, with some tasters suggesting it shows best around six to seven years after the vintage.
Want to know more about this wine?
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