A natural vigneron producing wines from Bordeaux's 1st growth terroir is practically unheard of. But, in unicorn fashion, that is what Osamu Uchida is doing.

Practically extending from Mouton Rothschild (just 100 yards), he's producing richly textured, natural Bordeaux: thought-provoking wines that feel true to the region, while putting terroir and philosophy over rigid rules from the past.

His third (highly limited) release has just landed.

We've heralded these for two vintages now (here for the unanointed). But, in brief: Osamu Uchida grew up surrounded by wine in his parents' Hiroshima wine shop. Feeling pulled to southern France, he dug in at top estates (Clusel-Roch, Vial-Magnères, Larrivet Haut-Brion) and oenology school, and is now biodynamically farming about 2 ha total in Cissac-Medoc.

Bottled by terroir, there's a gentle, thoughtful approach: everything is hand destemmed, reds see a cold soak, and he employs a range of vessels (from new barrique to sandstone amphora) and low-to-no sulfur across the lineup. 

It's a polished, soft-fruited set of wines with great depth of flavor – they feel, simply put, special and personal.

Osamu in the vineyard; working with a mix of vessels. Photos via @domaine_uchida

After an expansion to new cuvées, '24 was of course a rough vintage; the set of what's available has tightened back up. But, these are still very much the pure, graceful expression of Bordeaux that we love in Osamu's work:

2024 Osamu Uchida 'Pheromone' Rouge, Bordeaux, VDF, $79
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (in prior vintages this wine contained Merlot) from a clay and limestone site; destemmed with a two week cold soak and aged for one year in stainless steel. No sulfur added, 11.5% ABV.

2023 Osamu Uchida 'Serenade' Blanc, Bordeaux, VDF, $97
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sauvignon Gris, from a small plot planted in clay and limestone soils. Macerated for one week, and aged 5 months in a mix of acacia barrique and sandstone amphora. 11% ABV.

2023 Osamu Uchida, Classical C, Haut-Médoc, $98
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a second bottling of his wine previously released as 'Miracle.' In the lieu-dit Linas, his Miracle parcel is a forested site with 38 year old vines rooted in 15" of sandy topsoil over clay. The grapes are destemmed, see a two week cold soak with pigeage, and aged two years in 500L barrique. 12.5% ABV.

2023 Osamu Uchida, Classical M, Haut-Médoc, $99
100% Merlot, this is a second bottling of his wine previously released as 'La Venus.' From a parcel in lieu-dit Stade with 50-80 year old vines planted in clay and limestone. The grapes are destemmed, see a full month cold soak with twice-daily pigeage, and aged two years in 500L barrique. 13.5% ABV.

Shop Osamu Uchida