Japan's Wine (and wineries)

jurianbai · (#1 (**permalink**))

I browse a "Wine made in Japan" and find out a reasonable wineries from Japan. some with good standard wine website that explain the wine variety and describing the taste.

any comment of these wine made in Japan? how good it is and also how the japanese appreciated wine there as sake perhaps the home base alcohol beverage over there.

Columbine · (#2 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by jurianbai

I browse a "Wine made in Japan" and find out a reasonable wineries from Japan. some with good standard wine website that explain the wine variety and describing the taste.

any comment of these wine made in Japan? how good it is and also how the japanese appreciated wine there as sake perhaps the home base alcohol beverage over there.

Really? That surprises me; I don't think I ever saw any home-grown vintages but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. Whereabouts are the vinyards?

MMM · (#3 (**permalink**))

I know of one winery in Hokkaido, but they import the grapes from Washington State. I don't know if they advertise that part.

Nyororin · (#4 (**permalink**))

I am personally a fan of the Concord wine from Nagano.

I would say that these days most of the wineries make an effort to use 100% Japanese grown grapes. It`s always a big selling point on the bottle. I know that there has also been a lot of pressure in recent years to stop using imports entirely, and to form a national regulation system. Right now it`s only regulated/monitored on the prefectural level. Nagano is one of the stricter ones - from what I understand wine fermented there has to be 100% Japanese grapes.

MMM · (#5 (**permalink**))

Maybe the climate in Hokkaido isn't conducive to the wine they are wanting to make.

I am glad to hear at regulations are becoming more strict. Vitners will never be able to develop their own taste unless they are a part of the whole process from start to finish.

jurianbai · (#6 (**permalink**))

here some Japan wines from Corkd.com

Cork'd | Browse Wines by Region

can find more via google or yahoo.

agree with the regulation to use Japan's grapes. should be interesting. I think it wouldn't be possible in Singapore yet.

MMM · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by jurianbai

here some Japan wines from Corkd.com

Cork'd | Browse Wines by Region

can find more via google or yahoo.

agree with the regulation to use Japan's grapes. should be interesting. I think it wouldn't be possible in Singapore yet.

It looks like most of these are sake and umeshu. Umeshu is often called "plum wine" which is misleading, as it is actually shochu (a rice liquor) pickled with ume plums to give a distinct sweeter flavor.

Columbine · (#8 (**permalink**))

I imagine it must be pretty hard to grow quality wine grapes in Japan though; the summer humidity would surely cause a lot of powdery mold and so on, which would spoil the grape. And places where the weather is compatible must be limited to a certain degree.

I'm curious now, I'll have to go look some more information up.

MMM · (#9 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Columbine

I imagine it must be pretty hard to grow quality wine grapes in Japan though; the summer humidity would surely cause a lot of powdery mold and so on, which would spoil the grape. And places where the weather is compatible must be limited to a certain degree.

I'm curious now, I'll have to go look some more information up.

Every grape has it's own issues, but surely there are types that can fit in certain parts of Japan. Despite the image, Japan is mostly rural, and with some proper matching could be a good source of wine grapes in the non-flat areas.

TalnSG · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMM

It looks like most of these are sake and umeshu. Umeshu is often called "plum wine" which is misleading, as it is actually shochu (a rice liquor) pickled with ume plums to give a distinct sweeter flavor.

I had forgotten about that, MMM. I am frequently having to explain what umeshu is to Americans who ask me what my favorite wine is and it simpler to just translate it as plum wine for them.

Friday night my friends were insisting on my sharing some sake at the house I was hoping they would finish off. It was left over from a tasting because I didn't like this one at all. In desperation I mixed it with some Haitai plum and it was a perfect remedy to get me through this bit of socializing. Now I am wondering if it was also part instinct or forgotten memory that led me to choose that from pantry instead of several other options.