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When choosing high-quality alcohol from grapes, the Russian consumer is used to focusing on French, Italian or Spanish producers, who are considered world leaders in the field of winemaking.
Some connoisseurs prefer alcohol from Argentina, California, New Zealand or Australia.
But few have heard of Japanese wines, let alone tried them. Do they even exist? Vzboltay figured out this issue.
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About industrial winemaking in Japan
It turns out that there is industrial winemaking in the Land of the Rising Sun and it supplies very good drinks.
But only for export they are almost never produced.
The fact is that the natural and climatic conditions of Japan are completely unsuitable for growing vines.
High humidity, fogs, strong winds, lack of heat and sun, frequent natural disasters do not at all contribute to the ripening of light-loving fruits.
However, there are more than 200 wineries in the country that produce grape drinks.
History of local viticulture
In mysterious Japan, everything is unusual and shrouded in secrets. And the emergence of winemaking was not without mysticism.
According to local legends, Buddha brought vines to the country at the beginning of the XNUMXth century and handed them over to a monk who planted them and, as a thank you, made a statue in honor of the donor.
Historians, on the other hand, have a different opinion and believe that grape seedlings were imported to Japan by Buddhist missionaries from China, who assimilated and subsequently gave birth to local winemaking.
The process took a long time: the first weather-resistant variety appeared only in the XNUMXth century, it was called Koshu.
Today, a prolific variety is grown throughout Japan (with the exception of Hokkaido).
Its specificity is in the thick skin of the fruit, which can be white, pink or black, depending on the species.
Mostly white wine is produced from Koshu.
More than one hundred years passed before the local winemaking acquired an industrial scale.
It took the Japanese a long time to develop a special system for growing vines and making wines.
But, despite the use of advanced technologies, the process of obtaining drinks from grapes in the Land of the Rising Sun is still laborious and expensive.
A significant role in shaping the cost of local drinks is played by the high price of land suitable for growing vines.
Differences of Japanese wine from others
For growing grapes, arched (pergola) and horizontal (trellis) systems are used.
They allow you to protect the vines from damage during squally winds and prevent rotting of the fruit.
During the rainy season, which falls on the most important period for the ripening of berries (June-July), plantings are covered with a special protective plastic structure or huge umbrellas.
In addition to aboriginal, imported, mainly American, grape varieties are widespread in Japan.
Of the locals, Kyoho is the most famous with dark purple large fruits that have a delicate strawberry flavor.
At first, mainly sweet drinks were produced in the country, adding a large amount of sugars to reduce the acidity of the products.
A little later, this technology was abandoned. Modern winemakers pay more attention to dry and semi-dry wines.
They also produce semi-sweet drinks, but they do not add sweeteners to them: now they are completely natural products.
Japanese winemakers rely on quality, not quantity.
Local vineyards have a small area, but are equipped with modern technological equipment.
Much attention is paid to the characteristics of finished products, constantly improving production technologies and parameters of wine materials.
There is a whole system of control and evaluation of drinks at all stages of production.
The category of “Japanese wines” includes only products that contain at least 5% of local raw materials; it must also be bottled on the territory of the country.
Types of Japanese wines
Grape drinks produced in Japan fall into two main groups:
Kokusan – wines from imported raw materials, which are the most common.
Kokunaisan – products from local fruits, which are rarely found on sale and are highly valued.
It is quite difficult to buy Japanese grape drinks outside the country; it is better to try them in national restaurants.
The fact is that in Japan they prefer to use the wine berry in its original form, as a food, not a drink.
Fruity Japanese wines are better known abroad.
Of these, plum (“ume-shu”) is the most popular; quince, pear, peach, pomegranate and various types of berry drinks are also found.
Rice wine is considered traditional, which, however, is not drunk in its pure form, but added to dishes or mixed with other types.
Grape products from Japan are distinguished by a delicate, refined bouquet that harmonizes perfectly with local cuisine. It does not get boring and has a natural, mild taste.
Wine regions of Japan
In different regions of the country, certain grape varieties are grown, the choice of which is based on the characteristics of the climate and soils:
The largest supplier of wine fruits is Hokkaido, where winemaking specializes in cold-resistant German and Austrian varieties.
They are also grown in the northeastern regions of the country.
Significant batches of grape drinks are produced in the prefectures of Yamagata, Yamanashi, Fukuoka, Nagano, Aichi and Okayama.
Most of the plantations and wineries are located in the hills near Mount Fuji in Yamanashi.
The best wines are produced in the Nagano region, but production volumes are small.
In the areas of Yamagata and the area of Hiyogo, mainly European varieties are cultivated.
In Niigata they make light table wines that are in perfect harmony with fish dishes, in Kyoko they produce drinks that go well with vegetable snacks.
Interesting Facts
Japanese sommeliers are considered among the best in the world.
The inhabitants of the country have a high sensitivity and are able to distinguish tastes well.
The Japan Taster Association is the second largest in the world.
Local wine fruits are characterized by especially large sizes, which are unusual for Europeans.
Some berries are comparable in size to ping-pong balls. They also have a high juice content.
A bunch of local grapes Ruby Roman was sold for an incredible price (just under $1000 – and this is not the limit!) to the owner of one of the elite hotels. It took about 14 years to select the variety.
The result exceeded all expectations: the berries have not only a beautiful ruby hue, but also a pleasant refreshing taste filled with exquisite sweetness.
Decent samples of Japanese wine can be found not only among the products of large factories: the best drinks are produced in small family wineries.
One of the most exotic wines made in Japan is sakura wine.
It can be tasted at local wineries, rare samples are found on sale.
The first industrial enterprise for the production of Japanese wines was opened on the basis of an old factory that produces sake.
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Relevance: 07.10.2018
Tags: wine and vermouth