A Grandchild Visit, A Wine Tasting, and Notes from Japan

When you have a grandchild, crossing to the other side of the world to see them doesn’t feel daunting at all. By coincidence, this time our meeting point with our grandchild happened to be Japan. And of course, just because we went there doesn’t mean we forgot our main mission. Even before we left, I did some preliminary reading, diving into a book called Wines of Japan, which gave me the chance to get an overall sense of Japanese winemaking.

THE HISTORY OF VITICULTURE IN JAPAN

Between the 30th and 50th parallels north and south lies what we call the “Wine Belt” of our planet. A large part of Japan sits within this belt, making it, at least temperature-wise, suitable for grape cultivation. However, the prevailing monsoon climate in the region undermines this advantage. In Japan, where humidity can be overwhelming, vineyard owners bear an extra burden to keep their vines thriving.

Japanese records indicate that the country first encountered the grapevine roughly a thousand years ago. But it’s important to note that there are two different legends about how the grape arrived in Japan. 

In one story, a local resident of the Katsunuma region stumbled upon a wild grapevine, cut off a piece, and planted it in his garden. Eventually, it bore fruit, and when he tasted the grapes, he was so enchanted that cultivation spread from there. The other tale suggests that a variety of Vitis Vinifera, the classic wine grape, traveled from China to Japan via the Silk Road and took root there.

JAPAN’S ENDEMIC WINE GRAPE VARIETIES

Japan essentially has only three wine grape varieties of its own. One of them is the Koshu grape — the very grape featured in the stories mentioned above. With its beautiful pink-hued berries, Koshu is visually captivating. Scientific studies indicate that Koshu belongs to the family of wine grapes, Vitis Vinifera, though debates about its exact lineage continue.

The other two varieties besides Koshu are Muscat Bailey A (a hybrid grape widely used in aromatic rosé and red wines) and Delaware (an American-origin variety known for producing light, aromatic white wines). Both of these grapes are hybrids of Vitis Vinifera and Vitis Labrusca.

Comparing Japan’s grape portfolio to that of Turkey would hardly be fair. In Turkey, we have 1,459 officially registered grape varieties — although we’re still determining how many are suitable for winemaking. But that’s a topic we’ll revisit a bit later.

THE HISTORY OF WINE PRODUCTION IN JAPAN

Japan is, first and foremost, a land of rice. It possesses exactly the kind of climate conditions rice needs. Rice’s dominance is evident not only in food but also in alcoholic beverages. The country’s national drink, sake, is essentially rice transformed into alcohol.

The history of wine production in Japan is directly linked to the country’s opening up to the outside world after centuries of isolation. While grapes have a long history in Japan, wine production itself spans only about 150 years. And it’s more accurate to consider the era of quality wine production as confined to just the past 40 years.

At this point, it’s also helpful to recall the historical roots of Japanese cuisine. Traditional Japanese cuisine did not include meat. As Japan opened up to the world, eating habits began changing in parallel. This shift began with the overthrow of military rule and the establishment of imperial governance in 1868 — a period known as the Meiji Era, which signifies “enlightenment.”

During the Meiji Era, previously forbidden meats like pork and beef were legalized. Around the same time, efforts were made to encourage wine production. However, it took a long time for society to fully embrace these changes. Legally, wine production was possible, but it took much longer for wine consumption to truly grow. 

In Japan’s first hundred years of winemaking, it’s evident from historical sources that consumers preferred sweet, fortified wines resembling port. Starting in the 1960s, Japan underwent another significant transformation. The Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and the Osaka World Expo in 1970 played pivotal roles in embedding Western culinary habits into the culture. Alongside changing food habits, Japanese perceptions of wine began evolving. It’s worth noting that similar transformations occurred in Japanese whisky. Although Japanese whisky has about a century of history, its rise to international acclaim has also happened primarily over the past 40 years.

THE STATE OF JAPANESE WINE TODAY

According to official records, there are more than 200 wine producers in Japan. Given that Japan has only three endemic wine grape varieties and a total winemaking history of 150 years, this is quite a surprising figure. 

Let’s try to summarize the state of Japanese wine without drowning in numbers: 

• In 2023, Japan’s total wine production reached 80 million liters.
• Approximately 20% of this production was made from Japanese endemic grape varieties.
• Records from the Japan Wineries Association list around 200 wine producers, although unofficial sources (like Jancis Robinson) suggest the number may be closer to 500.
• Japan’s four major wine regions are:
  • Yamanashi
  • Nagano
  • Hokkaido
  • Yamagata

TASTING WINES FROM JAPAN’S ENDEMIC GRAPES

Naturally, visiting Japan without tasting wines made from its endemic grape varieties would have been unthinkable for us. So, we set out to try our luck — and succeeded. We were able to taste a set of five wines at a wine bar called Wine Soirée: Koshu and Delaware whites, Koshu natural wine, Muscat Bailey A rosé, and Muscat Bailey A red. 

The Koshu white was refreshing, with delicate citrus notes and lively acidity. The Koshu natural wine offered a deeper profile, marked by mineral tones. Muscat Bailey A rosé revealed aromas of strawberry on the nose and a soft, fruity finish on the palate. Delaware showed its characteristic aromatics, delivering a light, easy-drinking style perfect for summer refreshment.

Wine Soirée features a list of 150 different wines — exclusively Japanese wines, as we discovered. Although none of the staff spoke English, we managed limited communication with the help of ChatGPT. Learning that they serve their wines by the glass was an especially pleasant surprise. 

A FINAL WORD

On one side, we have Turkey — a country still in the process of determining which of its native grapes are truly suitable for winemaking. At the Tekirdağ Viticulture Institute, there are 1,459 registered grape varieties. After accounting for synonyms, it’s estimated that about 850 distinct varieties remain. So far, wines have been produced from 79 of these grapes — and at WAYANA, we serve wines made from 72 of them. We are certain this number will continue to rise.On the other side, we have Japan, with just three endemic grape varieties — two of which are hybrids.

Turkey has around 200 wine producers, a number quite similar to Japan’s official count. 

Yet Anatolia has sustained winemaking for at least 5,000 uninterrupted years, whereas Japan’s history in wine stretches back only about 150 years. 

In both countries, the last 40 years have witnessed significant strides in the world of wine. We all know how successful the Japanese can be when it comes to production. Despite having a very limited selection of grape varieties, they work tirelessly and with great dedication. And we also know just how hard our Turkish winemakers work.

Japan actively implements policies that support viticulture and winemaking. Sadly, the same cannot be said for how Turkey currently views this sector. We hope to see a new era in which our own wine industry receives similar support.

If your travels ever take you to Japan, don’t just explore the sights worth seeing — make sure to discover the wines of its land as well. A glass of Japanese wine is one of the most delicious bridges you can build to a distant culture.