Ojisan - Rose 2022

A light, soft and juicy Merlot from New Zealand. Loads of bright red fruits and floral notes. Super moreish.

Merlot is direct press and fermented overnight, while Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are fermented with skin contact for a week. pulled together an aged in stainless steel tanks.

THE ESTATE

OJISAN is an exciting new project by Alex Craighead of New Zealand's KINDELI and Kazuomi Fujimaki, formerly of Grape Republic, Japan. Alex and Kazu first met in 2016 when Kazu visited New Zealand for winemaking training. The term “Ojisan” is an informal, affectionate Japanese term for an uncle or middle-aged man. It's a playful back-handed compliment that Alex and his Japanese winemaking colleagues, including Kazuomi Fujimaki of Grape Republic, toss around as a way to praise each other's skills in the cellar while teasing each other about their impending middle-agedness.

Ojisan is a departure from the Kiwi norm of single varietal and highlights blending as a means of enhancing a wine's complexity. Made at Alex Craighead’s winery in Nelson, New Zealand using only grapes from practicing and certified organic NZ vineyards, the wines are charming, affable, and expressive.