...Somehow this wine is so singular that it has the power to make wines that we typically love drinking seem, well, pedestrian. The wine requires some initial effort to overcome the habits of inquiry that wine lovers often use when evaluating a new wine, and it is this process of adventure in the way we express our joy for wine that defines our philosophy at Kobayashi. The wine is also probably going to be the last new Mizunara barrel aged wine for quite some time. Unfortunately, we could not get a new Mizunara barrel in 2022, and we were asking the Japanese cooper to change their process (age/season the staves longer) moving forward, so we likely won't be able to do this again with new Mizunara for several years. Kobayashi is the only winery bringing these barrels into the US, so this is an absolutely singular, must-try wine.The Mizunara aromatics are distinctive, complex, and hypnotizing. Yet, it is ridiculously costly to make, and the oak tannin structure will take several years to completely integrate into a seamless texture, which is what we have come to expect with Mizunara. Just like new French oak, we have learned that once-used barrels are the sweet spot. The spice and incense are present but not overpowering, and the oak tannin is drastically diminished. For the 2021 we used 100% Mizunara barrel aging, but only 50% of which was new - and the wine is all the better for it! We also used different vineyards for the 2021. We are finally back and Red Willow this year, which we fermented with a little bit of whole cluster to add the savory complexity. We are also getting fruit from a couple of the Corliss vineyards now, which finally made it into the blend. I'm afraid to praise this wine as much as it deserves because the quantities are so incredibly limited. | Travis Allen for Kobayashi