Heiwa Shuzo Kid Tsuru-Ume, Ichigo NV [2022] Approachable yet nuanced

Approachable yet nuanced

Effusive notes of chalky soil

This is world-class Chardonnay from the Southern Hemisphere

with lingering citrus and mineral notes that reflect the vineyard’s distinct character

and mineral nuances that define aged calvados

Heiwa Shuzo Kid Tsuru-Ume, Ichigo NV [2022] Approachable yet nuancedThis is what happens when a Wakayama brewery famous for plum wine gets its hands on the local strawberries. Heiwa Shuzo, founded in 1928 just outside Kainan City and working with soft water that runs down from Koyasan, blends fresh Wakayama strawberry juice (60% of the bottle) with its Tsuru Ume plum sake. What comes out is thick, deeply pink, and startlingly close to biting into a ripe berry, with enough tartness to keep it from turning into dessert