Story

In 2009, “Y by YOSHIKI” was born as a collaborative project by renowned Japanese artist YOSHIKI and Napa Valley winemaker and 4th generation vintner, Rob Mondavi Jr. The grapes are sourced from premium vineyards across California and express the artistry, quality and creativity of this unique partnership. This California series is described by YOSHIKI as “smart casual” that is not only for wine lovers but also fits in with your everyday lifestyle.

In 2020, there were many large-scale wildfires in California. Due to smoke damage to the vineyards, Rob Mondavi Jr. decided not to produce the Y by YOSHIKI Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 vintage. Instead, he was able to source and secure more 2019 vintage wines and together with YOSHIKI, they were able to complete a second 2019 vintage. As a symbol to their success to produce another vintage of the 2019, they have decided to name this wine “Encore”.

The Growing Season

The 2022 vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon was fruit-forward with ample aromatics and body. The harvest season started early and the heat increased over the season pushing the ripening quickly, adding a full range of flavors of dark and especially red fruit flavors to this vintage. The gentle beginning to the harvest was punctuated by record heat levels pushing ripeness to the peak of perfection for the amazing wines of 2022.

The Winemaking Process

The grapes are night-harvested to maintain their natural acidity and balance. The dark grapes are moved directly to the fermenter where the berries and the juice reach natural fermentation temperatures peaking at 89 degrees Fahrenheit. The warm fermentation extracts the color, tannin and delicious flavors that would otherwise be locked away in the skin of the grapes. Aging with nearly equal parts of French and American oak is essential to bring this wonderful rich wine smoothness with a long finish.

Wine

The rich expression of freshly picked blackberry, mild chocolate, and subtle spices join with juicy French Plum; the essence of the Y by Yoshiki Cabernet. Bountiful dark and red fruits are complimented by the nearly perfect balance of French and American oak providing the delicious perception of delicate flan with subtle caramelized sugar.