By Joseph Temple

With Tokyo being home to an unprecedented 226 Michelin-starred restaurants, it’s safe to say that Japan is, as wine writer Karen MacNeil states, “one of the most gastronomically sophisticated countries in the world.” Whether it’s a traditional kaiseki meal or European inspired dishes, the Japanese have without question turned their country into a culinary mecca. And when it comes to wine, the Land of the Rising Sun continues to be Asia’s most important market for exporters.

Helping to spark this interest was Shinya Tasaki who, in 1995, became the first Japanese winner of the Sommelier World Championship.  Since then, a plethora of wine schools combined with a taste for the finer things in life has caused wine consumption to more than double from 1990 to 2012. But in addition to importing Bordeaux and Burgundy, domestic labels represented nearly a third of all Japanese wine sales in 2010.

Given the volcanoes, monsoons and its high population density, it’s amazing that Japan even has a domestic wine industry beyond rice-based saké. Experiencing intense humidity during the summer months along with torrential downpours and Siberian winds, the 6,852 islands of this archipelago nation make it one of the least hospitable places in the world for practicing viticulture. Despite this, local vintners have continued to defy the odds, carving out a niche market for oenophiles. So have a look below at ten quick facts that will get you up to speed on this proud nation’s wine heritage.

1. It is believed that Jesuit missionaries from Portugal gave Japan its first wines in the 16th century as gifts to the feudal lords of Kyushu.

2. Japan’s modern wine industry began in the 1860s during the Meiji Restoration where the country opened itself up to western influences.

3. The first plantings in the late 19th century were mostly Vitis labrusca varieties brought over from the United States that included Delaware and Niagara grapes.

 

By Sophie Jacquin (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

4. Today, Japan ranks 47th in the world for vineyard land with approximately 45,000 acres of vines.

5. Humid weather makes it very difficult to grow vinifera grapes in Japan.

 

By genta_hgr (Grape) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

6. However, one of Japan’s most successful varieties is koshu, a humidity tolerant Vitis vinifera white grape with a pinkish hue.

 

By jetalone [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

7. Another popular grape is “Muscat Bailey A” – a red wine hybrid created by Zenbai Kawakami by combining Bailey and Muscat Hamburg grapes together.

8. Most vines in Japan are planted on the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido.

9. Small and independent growers own most of Japans’ vineyards with the average vineyard size being less than 1.2 acres.

 

By Aw1805 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

10. To achieve maximum sun exposure, vintners will use various techniques like planting their vines on steep mountain terraces or constructing trellises to keep the grapes as high as 10 feet.

Sources:

Bunting, Chris. Drinking Japan: A Guide to Japan’s Best Drinks and Drinking Establishments. North Clarendon: Tuttle Publishing, 2014.
Brostrom, Geralyn G. & Brostrom, Jack. The Business of Wine: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2008.
MacNeil, Karen. The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publishing, 2015.
Robinson, Jancis. The Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

You might also like:

 Loading ...

Question: A friend is excited about a recent wine she ordered as being so much like fresh lychee fruit. What is she talking about?

Answer: Descriptive wine terms can be quite subjective. Wine drinkers often have different experiences on tasting the very same wine. However some wines have a distinctive signature. Lychee or litchi is a Chinese fruit with unique fragrant honey sweet aromas almost like smelling a really spicy rose. It is a good characteristic to remember for identifying in a blind tasting a wine made from the gewürztraminer grape variety. I believe your friend likes gewürztraminer wines!

You might also like:

 Loading ...

May 6, 2016 was Sauvignon Blanc Day. So what? Well it is worth celebrating the progress of this variety in New Zealand. Producers describe their wine using terms such as “pungently aromatic with undertones of red bell pepper, gooseberry, kiwifruit, passion fruit, tropical fruit overtones, cut grass, tomato stalks, grapefruit or limes.” Certainly it is the “explosive varietal that awoke the world to intense, expressive, fruit driven New Zealand wines” but is evolving now into something more.

Latest stats show New Zealand with 35,463 hectares planted of which sauvignon blanc leads at 20,497 followed by pinot noir at 5,514, chardonnay is popular with three other emerging aromatics pinot gris 2422, riesling 767, and gewürztraminer 277. The South Island Marlborough is by far the largest sauvignon blanc region at 18,234 hectares followed way back at 907 by Hawke’s Bay on the North Island. There are now over 700 wineries with over 94% under sustainable programs with 90% of total production being exported. They proudly declare there are only 4.5 million people but 39 million sheep!

A Sauvignon Blanc Revealed Masterclass showed 17 wines with differing profiles of regional & stylistic diversity now some 40 plus years since those initial plantings made in 1973 by Montana:

Villa Maria Private Bin Lightly Sparkling 2015 – They claim using Charmat (like Prosecco) rather than methode champenoise (Champagne) helps preserve the lime fruit vitality of the variety. Only 5.2 sugar RS.

Forrest The Doctors’ Marlborough 2015 (lower alcohol) – Experimentation and innovative vineyard practices result in a very drinkable modest 9.5 alcohol. High acid + 8.5 RS. A good emerging trend.

Te Mania Nelson 2015 – Higher rainfall warm days cool nights in Nelson shows more richness from the clay soils & certified organic.

Palliser Estate Martinborough 2015 – Excellent aromatics from the lees aging.

Te Pa Marlborough 2015 – Grapefruit & lime zest with some tropical notes has refreshing finish.

Rapaura Springs Reserve Marlborough 2015 – Use of “Reserve” name should be discouraged or better defined but here means extra time on the lees. Lovely intense passion fruit.

Whitehaven Greg Marlborough (Awateere Valley) 2015 – Lower fermentation temperatures & less skin contact make for a crisp good acidity match for shellfish.

Loveblock Marlborough (Awatere Valley) 2014 – Limestone soil helps lower the phH to 3.08 for balance.

Ara Single Estate Marlborough (Waihopai Valley, Southern Valleys) 2015 – One site using both early & late picking.

Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough (Southern Valleys) 2015 – Classic cool Marlborough fruit from driest vintage in Marlborough in 85 years.

Tiki Estate Marlborough (Upper Wairau) 2015 – Use yeasts which enhance variety definition.

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Marlborough (Lower Wairau) 2015 – Parcel identified by winemaker blind tasting as best batch produced “Reserve”.

Stoneleigh Wild Valley Marlborough (Wild Ferment) 2015 – 100% wild yeast & 10% in older oak. Delicious.

Greywacke Wild Marlborough 2013 – Kevin Judd of Cloudy Bay fame produces a complex wine. Stylish.

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon Waipara Valley 2013 –  Semillon in older French oak adds to this blend all 8 months sur lie.

Te Mata Estate Cape Crest Hawke’s Bay 2014 – Unique 87% sauvignon blanc with 10% semillon & 3% sauvignon gris from mature 35 year old vineyards and 1/3 new oak impressive. Polished. Reminds me a bit of the outstanding Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte (with a similar grape mix) at a very reasonable price.

Jules Taylor Late Harvest Marlborough 2015 – Picked mid-May. Sweeter 168 g/l RS with total acidity 8.24.

The volume of New Zealand sauvignon blanc exports continues to increase and the future looks bright.

You might also like:

 Loading ...

By Joseph Temple

For centuries, the scenic beauty of Niagara Falls has attracted scores of visitors from around the world like a magnet. With more than six million cubic feet of water going over its crest line every single minute during the peak of tourist season, the sheer volume of this natural wonder makes it one of the most photographed cataracts in history. “Few natural wonders have inspired the passions and the imaginations of so many as Niagara Falls, whose sublime beauty and awesome power have made it a magnet for statesmen and stuntmen, poets and poseurs, ordinary sightseers and exceptional visionaries,” writes historian Pierre Berton.

And during the immediate post-war period, the Falls became etched in stone as the “Honeymoon Capital of the World.” Publicized in popular Hollywood films like Niagara starring Marilyn Monroe, Horseshoe Falls provided the perfect backdrop for millions of couples celebrating their holy matrimony. Of course, with so many newlyweds around, there were also plenty of superb places to wine and dine in between snapping all those pictures.

While today many associate Niagara with casinos, wax museums and inexpensive all-you-can-eat buffets, it’s important to remember that there were (and still are) some excellent restaurants on both sides of the river. So travel back in time to the golden era of Niagara Falls tourism as we reminisce about five iconic establishments that helped to make the region a must-see destination.

1. Queenston Heights Restaurant

Situated next to a monument honoring General Isaac Brock from the War of 1812, Queenston Heights Restaurant is surrounded by gorgeous scenery and floral arrangements, making its rustic ambiance hard to beat. And once you sit down inside or on the outdoor patio, you’ll be given a breathtaking panoramic view of the Niagara River as you dine. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this upscale restaurant has entertained dignitaries from around the world, including Prime Minister Winston Churchill who ate here with his daughter Mary during the height of the Second World War before a strategy session with Franklin Roosevelt in Quebec City.

2. Hotel General Brock

Opening its doors in 1929, the Hotel General Brock is known by many as the place where Marilyn Monroe stayed while filming Niagara—the same hotel where she had a torrid love affair with future husband Bob Slatzer. But its crown jewel was the Rainbow Dining Room, which offered diners a spectacular view of the Falls. The view was so outstanding that in 1939 when the King and Queen of England visited Niagara Falls as part of their North American tour, they enjoyed a private and 100% Canadian dinner that included Filet of Lake Superior whitefish and Tenderloin of Northern Ontario beef.

3. Victoria Park Restaurant

Located on the Niagara Parkway and directly facing the Falls, Victoria Park Restaurant is as old as the city itself. Originally called the Refectory, this restaurant built in 1904 by the Niagara Parks Commission from boulder stone acquired from the bed of the Niagara River and modeled after a Swiss chalet quickly became one of the more posh places to eat for both locals and tourists. In fact, until 1926, the upstairs served as the quarters for the Parks Commission and has been home to numerous ghost sightings ever since.

4. Skylon Tower Revolving Restaurant

Soaring 775 feet above the Niagara River, the futuristic Skylon Tower, which opened for business in 1965 gave tourists a fantastic bird’s eye view of the Falls from its observation deck. Featuring state-of-the-art technology for its time that included Canada’s first outside elevators, the grand opening was attended by both New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Ontario Premier John Robarts. Adding to this sense of being on the cutting edge, a fairly new concept—the revolving restaurant—debuted in Niagara with Skylon diners being treated to a 360 degree look at all the scenic wonders as they sat down and enjoyed a formal meal.

5. The New York side

Niagara Falls has essentially become a tale of two cities. And when looking back at the New York side’s culinary history, we see a strong influence from Italian-Americans that lives on to this day. In fact, many travel guides recommend a stroll through Little Italy where you’ll find “authentic Italian restaurants and a sense of what the city was like at its zenith in 1950.” Two of the oldest establishments are The Como Restaurant and Fortuna’s, opened since 1927 and 1945 respectively.

Sources:

Berton, Pierre. Niagara: A History of the Falls. Toronto: Anchor Canada, 1992.
City of Niagara Falls Centennial Book Committee.  Images of a Century: The City of Niagara Falls, Canada, 1904-2004. Oshawa: Maracle Press, 2005.
Dombrowski, Joel A. Moon Niagara Falls. Berkeley: Avalon Travel, 2014.
Strand, Ginger. Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.

You might also like:

 Loading ...

Question: There seems to be a growing trend for serving red wine with salmon. Why? I don’t get it.

Answer: I like your question. There are opinions out there that any colour wine goes with any dish – and to simply choose the wine you enjoy drinking. Certainly a lot of red wine doesn’t ideally suit salmon or any other seafood. However there is more to it than that. Traditionally it was always red wine with meat and white wine with fish. Too rigid. Salmon comes in many varieties from delicate trout-like to wild oily Spring or Chinook. Lots depends on how it is prepared and the sauce as well. I still enjoy a rich chardonnay with most salmon dishes. However a red wine can work very well if is not too heavy or tannic and has a good acid balance. A good variety choice is pinot noir. One of my all-time favourites combos was the 1972 La Tache red Burgundy with a soy BBQ salmon. Try some pinot noirs with salmon prepared in different ways and I believe you will see the magic of red wine with salmon.

You might also like:

 Loading ...