2017 Secret Garden Red Blend - Sanmac Winery

Red plum, Asian spice, strawberry jam. Ripe blueberry, cherry blossom, smushed raspberry. Sweet mint and tree bark, beet juice and begonias. Globs of thick jammy red fruit battles for attention atop tree bark and subtle spices. Medium in body with low tannin & acidity. This 2017 Secret Garden Red Blend by Sanmac Winery is a solid effort from South Korea.

East Asia is not known for its wine production, but there is more than just sake, beer, and whiskey emerging from this corner of the world. Wine consumption has been increasing rapidly in popularity in many parts of Asia and it was only a matter of time until production followed. This bottling, crafted by the boutique Sanmac Winery in South Korea, is composed of a unique blend of Cambell Early and native Korean grapes. High heat, humidity, and torrential rainstorms make it tough to grow traditional noble grape varieties here, but certain carefully selected hybrid grapes have been identified that can succeed in these conditions. Cambell Early actually originated in the state of Arkansas but spread to Asia largely thanks to its ability to withstand the hot sticky summers. While the Korean wine industry is still extremely young it is awesome to see that they are already putting out drinkable wine despite less than ideal growing conditions. The humidity of the region certainly showed up in this bottle, as notes of stewed berries dominated the flavor profile, but overall tasting this was a unique and enjoyable experience.