Japanese wine, which is produced domestically using 100% grapes grown in Japan, has undergone remarkable evolution and is attracting attention from around the world. As ``Japanese wine'' begins to awaken and undergo a paradigm shift, three wine authorities will carefully select and introduce 3 bottles that you should experience now.

Japanese wine selected by wine expert Dai Wada x Mongaku Valley 2017

Yoichi, Hokkaido is in the spotlight as Japan's premier Pinot Noir producing area. In this area, which is the dream of anyone who aspires to become a winery, there is a man who takes on the challenge of making wine specializing in mixed plantings and mixed brewing. Shigeaki Kihara of Mongakudani Winery, who fell in love with Yoichi's terroir, is particular about making wine with mixed plantings and mixed brews that go beyond varieties to express the terroir.

Mixed plantings and mixed wines, in which many varieties are planted in the same field and brewed in the same tank, are not casual "mixed" wines. Gemistasatz, a mixed-plant and mixed-breed wine company in Vienna, Austria, also produces high-quality wines. Producers around the world are now working on mixed plantings and mixed brewing to express not the variety but the ``sense of place'', that is, the uniqueness of the region. Mixed-plant and mixed-brewed wines are an excellent match for contemporary cuisine, which skillfully uses a variety of ingredients, herbs, and spices to create complex, multilayered flavors.

``Mongaku Valley 2017'' is based on the clean and expansive acid produced by Yoichi's terroir, while the light tannins brought by the black grapes create just the right amount of structure and three-dimensionality. The complex and unified aroma that is unique to mixed brewing makes it compatible with a wide range of ingredients and dishes.

Kihara is a rugby player who led his team as captain during his university and working days. Rugby, where teams are made up of players in various positions with various personalities and characteristics, is similar to mixed planting and mixed brewing. In a field of mixed planting, even if the varieties are different, the rhythm of growth synchronizes over the years, creating a sense of unity. The vineyard is still young, but I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of "team" Kihara will create in this winery in the future.
(Titles omitted)

Mongaku Valley 2017
Maker: Mongakudani Winery
Variety: 7 varieties including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.
Features: 100% in-house grapes, mixed planting/brewing, fermentation with wild yeast. Mongaku is an Ainu word. It means a place with many reed trees.
Price: 5,000 yen (tax included/according to editorial department)
https://mongakuwinery.com/