2017 Kisvin Winery Koshu Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 88 points

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  1/20/2022 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points

  Unlike the regular Kisvin Koshu which is made from earlier-harvested grapes and aged in stainless steel, this is made with late-harvested grapes (typically early-to-mid October) and aged for 3 months in oak barrels. Bottled after one year of aging. 12,5% alcohol.
  
  Quite pale and very slightly hazy yellow-green color. Rich, quite intense and surprisingly vegetal nose with a rather prominent streak of grassy greenness follower by aromas of birch leaves, some ripe Granny Smith apple, a little bit of cantaloupe, light floral notes of apple blossom and a hint of creaminess. The wine is fresh, lively and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and brisk, slightly vegetal flavors of birch leaves and grassy greenness, some sweeter candied notes of gummi bear, a little bit of fresh pear, light notes of quince jam, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of tangy saline minerality. The rather high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully fresh, precise and balanced. The finish is long and crisp but also a bit linear with dry yet juicy flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits and ripe green apples, some grassy vegetal tones, a little bit of leesy character, light candied notes of gummi bear, a hint of quince jam and a touch of birch leaves.
  
  This was a bit weird in a long lineup of Koshu wines - it lacked the rather neutral profile typical of the variety, but despite its obvious ripeness it also had a somewhat odd and very atypical green overall character, lending it notes of cut grass and birch leaves. This is definitely a nice and well-made wine, but you really have to make some effort to see past the initial greenness that might take you by surprise when approaching the wine for the first time. After my initial sip I was ready to rate the wine as a disappointment, but after getting to know it better, I found myself actually being intrigued by the wine - there's definitely a lot more to it than the first impression lets you think. A nice and definitely atypical effort for a Koshu!

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