Vino Della Gatta is a cat-obsessed winery and restaurant, owned by Atsuko Narusawa (centre, in picture below). The winery here is new – it was established last year. In the past the wines were made at two custom crush facilities. There are seven vineyard blocks, totalling 3 hectares, and each is named after a cat.
The winemaker here is Kaori Mitake-Howard (left, above) – she’s just returned from 12 years working with Benziger in the Sonoma Valley, California. Coming back to a tiny winery in Nagano must be quite a culture shock. ‘It’s a hard place to make wine here,’ she says. ‘It rains for weeks and then a typhoon hits you. Last year the grapes got stuck at 19 Brix and then moved just 1 degree in a month.’
Vino della Gatta Sakaki Kyoho Wine 2018 Nagano, Japan
This is made from a black table grape (Kyoho), which is a labrusca. It was immediately taken off the skins to make a white wine, but as tartrates have begun to drop it has turned a delicate pink. Fruity, aromatic nose. Fruity and jellyish with nice bright citrus fruit and some tangerine and almond hints. Juicy finish. 85/100
Vino della Gatta Sauvignon Blanc 2018 Nagano, Japan
Tank sample. Exuberantly fruity with some tank fermentation esters. Fresh citrus fruits with a hint of tropical richness. 87-88/100
Vino della Gatta Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2018 Nagano, Japan
Barrel sample. Supple and ripe with nice precision. Midweight with juicy cherry and berry fruits. Fine, expressive and made in a bright style, but with some substance. 88-90/100
Vino della Gatta Shine Muscat 2018 Nagano, Japan
Shine Muscat is a very expensive table grape that normally sells for 1500 Yen a kilo, and a good bunch might set you back 5000 Yen. There was a large yield this year so they were able to get some at a good price to make a wine with. This wine has beautiful aromatics: it is grapey and rich. The palate is vivid and just off dry with amazing precision and focus. Muscatty but with freshness and purity. 90/100
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Nagano Wine Region (2019)
- (1) Nagano Overview
- (2) Gio Hills
- (3) Tasting at Tomi Wine Chapel
- (4) Rue de Vin
- (5) Cave Hatano
- (6) Funky Chateau
- (7) Azumino Winery
- (8) Northern Alps Vineyards
- (9) Izutzu Winery
- (10) Vino Della Gatta
- (11) Sun Sun Estate
- (12) Takayashiro Farm
- (13) St Cousair
- (14) Domaine Sogga/Obusé Winery
- (15) Domaine Hase
- (16) An overview tasting
- (17) A film of the Nagano region
Nagano Wine Region (2018)
- Overview: Japan’s wine scene
- Part 1, Kido Winery
- Part 2, Domaine Nakajima
- Part 3, Hyashi Nouen
- Part 4, Kusunoki Winery
- Part 5, Obusé Winery
- Part 6, Manns Winery Komoro
- Part 7, Villa d’Est Garden Farm and Winery
- Part 8, Votano Wines
- Part 9, Cantina Riezo
- Part 10, Shinshu Takayama Winery
- Nagano wine tasting and overall impressions
1 Comment on Nagano region, Japan (10) Vino della Gatta
HiJamie,
Thank you for visiting our winery and posting this article about us. It was a great pleasure to meet you over our new wines.
There are some words that, we think, need to be addressed in the article.
I have sent you an email for the detail which I hope you could take a look in your spare time.
We are looking forward to talking to you again,
Kaori
Winemaker, Vino della Gatta SAKAKI