Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Grace Koshu 2023 – Yamanashi GI, Japan 🇯🇵

Overview
Produced from 100% Koshu, Japan’s signature indigenous white grape, this wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel to preserve purity and transparency. Grown in the elevated vineyards of Katsunuma, Yamanashi, it beautifully expresses the restrained elegance that has made Grace Wine an international benchmark for Japanese fine wine.

Aromas & Flavors
Yuzu, lemon peel, green apple, white peach, Asian pear, and delicate white flowers lead into subtle mineral notes with hints of wet stone and citrus zest. Delicate rather than aromatic, everything is driven by finesse.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, a steely mineral backbone, and exceptional precision. The texture recalls the purity of Chablis with a subtle sake-like silkiness, finishing remarkably clean, refreshing, and focused.

Food Pairings
Sashimi, sushi, crudo, oysters, grilled white fish, tempura, steamed shellfish, or lightly seasoned Japanese cuisine.

Verdict
An elegant expression of Japan’s flagship white grape that prioritizes freshness, balance, and precision over power. Refined, mineral-driven, and wonderfully food-friendly, it stands comfortably among the world’s finest delicate white wines.

Did You Know?
Koshu has been cultivated in Japan for nearly 1,000 years and is believed to descend from ancient grapes that traveled along the Silk Road before adapting to Japan’s humid climate. Today, Yamanashi is considered the spiritual home of premium Koshu wines.

🍷 Personal Pick
One of the purest and most distinctive white wines I’ve experienced. Its combination of crystalline freshness, mineral precision, and understated elegance makes it a benchmark not only for Japanese wine, but for delicate, terroir-driven whites anywhere in the world. It has earned a permanent place among my favorite food wines. — 6 hours ago

Henry Boshoff

9.0

Bok day wine! Very nice wine with best pasta ever! — 3 years ago

with Alicia

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

63% Temp, 17% Petite Verdot, 10% Graciano, 9% Tannat. Dark color. Almost black in low light. Aromas of smoke, cherry cobbler and licorice root. Maybe slight petrichor. Flavors are nice. Dense and fruit driven. Cherry pits and licorice chews (the Dutch salty, fruit flavored kind). Hint of herbal backbone (sage and basil meet mint and marjoram). For its fairly low price (think this was $12.99) this is a great CA wine. Restrained but big. Fruity but balanced. Fun but elegant. And it’s from just up da road! Nice work neighbors. — 4 years ago

Anne Richardson

8.9

A fun semi sweet table wine. Goes down easily. Even the bottle is fun - red!
A note: it is produced in Palisade, CO not in CA as listed on the front page. — 6 years ago

Porsha Tyrrell

9.3

The second this liquid red touched my lips, I knew it was love. — 6 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Couldn’t get over how pretty and light on its feet this Zin was. Looks like Nebbiolo in the glass. Sour cherry, dried herbs and flowers, mesquite smoke, sourdough yeast on the finish. Worthy accompaniment to some top tier bbq brisket by @Steven Perlman — 7 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2023 vintage. Medium body. Always nice. Possibly Matt's best wine year in, year out. This could use another year to knit. Hoping to taste again down the road. Definitely believe in his abilities and the authenticity of this vineyard. 3.23.26. — 3 months ago

Kit Lewis

8.9

Middle of the road body. Nose is tart raspberry and roasted plum. Palette is macerated strawberry with a hint of basil. Crowd pleaser. Could cocktail or pair with food very easily. — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.1

Decant and pour. A fabulous still dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: Intoxicating musky sweet notes of cherry/plum, wet forest floor, stewed meat, black olives. Taste: creamy, silky smooth wine with dried cherry, prunes, soy sauce, pepper, smokey earth, mocha and a medium plus finish. Sure, on the downside, but showing its 31 year age beautifully and fun to drink tonight. Won a charity auction of old wines direct from the winery so more old vintage reviews down the road — 3 years ago

with Brenda

Neil Blaze

8.9

This was a pleasant, medium-bodied red with good balance. Anonymous dark fruit aromas and flavors dominated this fresh red blend from southern Germany. Perfect Monday night wine! Blend of Lemberger, Trollinger, Regent, and Schwarzriesling. 10/31/22. — 5 years ago

John Hagood

9.0

From Chambers 2028 on 12/31/2020 with duck paella from Convivial and beet salad. Robust fragrance of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, alcohol— middle of the road good burgundy. Cloudy. Pine/cedar as it warms. — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.6

We recently pulled some cases out of storage, which haven't seen the light of day for nearly 15 years, so I'll have some fun posts in the next several months.

Nose has split oak firewood (barely seasoned), cigar box, moist cedar shavings, blackberry, dried black currant, dried roses, fresh violets, moist leather, dried lavender dark chocolate powder and graphite pencil shavings.

Palate has chocolate covered blackberry, tarry black cherry, cedar sawdust, dark chocolate bark, prune, anise candy, clay pot and leather. Very long finish, subtle tannins exist still, amazing wine!

Cork pulled, 2h rest, then decanted 6h, a perfect bottle, still young, future bottles may be 2023-30, without concern.

100% Malbec (715 cases) | Wine Spectator Top 100: 2005, Rank: 31

Perfect pair to homemade burgers from a local farmer in Columbia Co. NY (Kinderhook Farm), cooked to a beautiful medium-rare served on toasted brioche burger rolls. — 6 years ago

Stephen Stone

9.0

For the price...it can’t be beat. Both biscuit and floral essence...a perfect middle of the road sparkling wine from France. $9.99 at Winestore Charlotte. — 7 years ago

with Janet

Jeff Thompson

9.0

2022 on October 31, 2025 — 8 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

A blend of 52% Shiraz and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon. Initially showing black fruits - blackberry, blackcurrant and plum. So far has won a Trophy and 3 Gold Medals in its show career. A well balanced medium bodied palate. From the long established producer, Bleasdale, in Langhorne Creek. Established 1850. Great value at only $31 AUD. — 9 months ago

Jenks

9.2

I have several vintages of this and haven't really drank any of them because they're all mostly massive wines that need time in the cellar to chill the F out, but I opened this a few Sundays ago and I guess I missed that this vintage came in under 14%. Freaking delicious. This is going to be excellent down the road. — 2 years ago

Sabrina Chisin

10

This wine is absolutely fire. Had it at Bar Oyster 10/10 and fruity — 4 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

From the winery: "This single vineyard wine, located next to our winery block on Roennfeldt Road, was planted by Dave Powell in 1994 with cuttings off old RunRig vineyards - some of the oldest genetic material in Australia. The Barossa's first co-fermented Shiraz/Viognier, Descendant has been joined by many more in the last couple of years - a testament to its success. Shiraz is crushed straight on top of Viognier, which has been lightly pressed for RunRig. The blend of fruit is then co-fermented and later the wine is matured for 18 months in barrels that had been previously used for RunRig. The deep red clay soils in this vineyard produce fruit which is very savory, textured and rich, a satin-like texture and a glorious perfume. Of all the Torbreck releases this is one that really needs patience. Its immediate charm can be enjoyed upon release with a few hours breathing, but after the first 6 months, the rest should be locked away for at least 5 years." — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

Road tar, smoked black fruits, green olive, and loads of meaty, gamey notes emerge from the 2016 Northern Blend, which is 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier that was co-fermented and aged in used barrels. This big, sexy, exotic effort just screams Syrah and is full-bodied, has terrific depth of fruit, polished tannins, and just overflowing amounts of character and charm. Drink it any time over the coming decade or so.
Jebs review, can’t disagree. Great for $30.00 — 7 years ago

Sebastien Leger

9.0

A bold Pinot noir from the Santa Rita Hills at 14.8% vol — 7 years ago