About Signature K Chardonnay 2020
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Chardonnay
- Price Range
- ¥4,500-5,500
- Alcohol
- 12%
Signature K Chardonnay 2020 is the debut release from Kei Tanaka, the former sommelier who would go on to found UTABI Winery. Bottled from a roughly 300-bottle lot and released in July 2021 through contract fermentation at Takayashiro Winery in Nagano, it was made from Chardonnay grown on Tanaka's own plot in the Shinko-machi Kono area of Nagano City -- not, as sometimes assumed, inherited from a previous owner's farm; the 'Signature K' name was itself a gift from essayist Toyoo Tamamura at Tanaka's Chikuma River Wine Academy graduation. Despite being a first vintage, it earned GI Nagano Premium certification. The wine shows a pale, delicate, Burgundy-inspired style built on gentle whole-cluster-style pressing, wild/Burgundy-yeast fermentation, and extended tank and bottle aging, foreshadowing the house style Tanaka later refined at UTABI Winery.
This is the wine where UTABI Winery's story truly begins -- a modest 300-bottle debut that nonetheless earned GI Nagano Premium status. Any serious follower of Japan's new-generation, sommelier-turned-winemaker scene should seek it out.
New to wine?
A gentle, food-friendly Chardonnay -- a great way to taste where UTABI Winery's story began.
Food Pairings
A Burgundy-leaned Chardonnay that suits delicate white fish, shellfish, and soft cheeses; it also pairs naturally with Japanese cuisine such as lightly seasoned sashimi, tempura, and clear-broth dishes that let the wine's fine acidity carry the food.
When to drink it
For Japanese-wine collectors and fans of Kei Tanaka's work who want to trace UTABI Winery back to its very first vintage; also fitting for a quiet dinner with delicate seafood.
Terroir & Winemaking
First vintage (2020), roughly 300 bottles produced and released in July 2021. Fruit was 100% Chardonnay from Kei Tanaka's own plot in Shinko-machi Kono, Nagano City, vinified under contract at Takayashiro Winery: gentle pressing, fermentation with Burgundy-style yeast, extended aging in stainless steel tank followed by several months of bottle aging before release. Certified GI Nagano Premium despite being a debut vintage.
About the producer
UTABI WineryNagano City's first winery, sommelier-turned-vigneron長野市, 長野県 · Founded 2024Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Signature K Chardonnay 2020 the same as UTABI Winery's regular Chardonnay?
- It's the historical starting point of the same line. Signature K was Kei Tanaka's personal brand before he opened UTABI Winery in 2024, and this 2020 vintage was his first-ever release, made from grapes he grew himself and vinified on contract at Takayashiro Winery.
- Was Signature K a farm inherited from a previous owner?
- No. Despite that assumption sometimes circulating, Signature K was a new vineyard Tanaka started himself, and the name was a gift from essayist Toyoo Tamamura at his wine academy graduation -- not a name tied to a prior estate owner.
- How many bottles of the 2020 vintage were made?
- Around 300 bottles, released in July 2021 -- an extremely limited debut lot.
- What does it taste like?
- A pale, aromatic, Burgundy-inspired Chardonnay: simple and delicate on release, with fine acidity, gentle fruit, and a texture built for aging.
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