2021 Kobayashi Cabernet Franc Mizunara
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Tasting the Kobayashi 2021 Cabernet Franc Mizunara from bottle confirms all of the excitement I had over this wine last year. Winemaker Travis Allen sources these rare and unique Mizunara barrels from Japan, and they impart an exoticism that needs to be experienced to be believed. The bouquet alone is like something out of a shop of fine treasures, blending incense with foreign spices, herbal tea leaves, dried roses, blood orange and pepper-tinged wild berry fruits. It’s deeply textural, velvety-smooth and dense upon entry, yet quickly firms up, as depths of black raspberry meld with a tinge of orange zest and tannins that add a crystalline feel. The 2021 finishes dramatically long and potent, with a residual bump of zesty acidity to balance. An array of inner florals fade over a lingering hint of boysenberry. While I have no experience with these barrels, I estimate five years before these tannins begin to soften, at which point I expect the Mizunara to drink beautifully over another decade or more. Stunning juice.
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Eric Guido, Vinous
Eric Guido, Vinous
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I was able to taste two barrel samples of the new 2021 Cabernet Franc Mizunara while visiting with Kobayashi, and the word ‘exotic’ doesn't seem to do this justice. This marries the wild floral, peppery and herbal qualities, along with dark sensuous fruits of the variety, with a menagerie of foreign spices, tea leaves, incense and shaved cedar. The tannin profile imparted by these rare Japanese barrels is both silky yet also crystalline in feel, coating the palate in pure elegance, morphing into a crunchy sensation, and finally fades to allow residual acids to refresh the senses. It's going to be quite an experience watching this wine age over the coming decades. I for one can't wait to taste it from bottle.