The Japanese love their shōchū, sake, whisky and beer, and lately even their wine, especially if it’s made from the emerging and increasingly popular Koshu grape grown in Katsunuma in Yamanashi Prefecture (the Bordeaux of Japan) among the foothills of Mount Fuji.
I visited Yamanashi recently and was both surprised and impressed by Koshu’s delicacy, finesse and stylistic nuances. It’s a white table wine with a varied flavour profile that sits somewhere between sauvignon blanc and riesling, and as such pairs beautifully with Japanese cuisine – especially sashimi, sushi and tempura.
Pale in colour and light bodied – it’s restrained, transparent, balanced and low in alcohol with a crisp acidity and a clean finish. Aromatically it’s a mélange of citrus and stone fruit, whilst on the palate flavours of yuzu (a Japanese citrus), lychee and quince are to be found.
It’s refreshingly easy to drink and its purity and limpidity give it a ‘Zen-like’ character according to renowned, world wine authority Jancis Robinson MW. And Jancis is not alone in signing Koshu’s praises, fellow Masters of Wine Lynne Sherriff and Ned Goodwin are equally as enamoured.
Koshu wine is not new to Japan, however its quality has improved dramatically over the past decade. In 2010 it was the first Japanese grape variety to be certified by the European Union. It is starting to pop up in some of Asia’s top Japanese restaurants and is served at Japan’s overseas embassies. It’s even reached as far south as Australia.
Traditionally wine is seldom served with local cuisine in Japan; however Koshu is starting to gain a wider acceptance, both domestically and internationally and is widely exhibited at the annual Yamanashi Nouveau Wine Festival.
Some of the better Koshu I tasted included Grace, Haramo, Katsunuma Jyozo, Kurambon, Lumière, Marufuji’s ‘Rubaiyat’ and Yamato .
So, if you like white wine and wish to savour something quintessentially Japanese – Koshu is for you!
For further information visit www.koshuofjapan.com
