Fall has finally arrived in Nagano – and none too soon. This past summer may have been the worst in years for wines in the prefecture, with June and July overcast and very wet and August hot and humid – reducing the difference between daytime and night temperatures that are important for the right balance between sugar (day time) and acidity (night time). That said, the weather improved in September as we got closer to harvest hopefully keeping things on course for a good year.
Author: friendsofnaganowine
Sapporo Grande Polaire Event Wrap-up
For those of you who could not attend of August 10 event, we wanted to give you a brief overview of the wines we tasted and the discussion those wines begat...
July Recommendations
This has been a rainy season that we all wish to forget. It has rained nearly every day since the latter part of June and continues as we write on July 16. And this is not just any ordinary rain – precipitation has been at record levels causing major flooding in the Matsumoto area and … Continue reading July Recommendations
June Recommendations
ALPS markets a very nice Chardonnay for 2700 yen under its Musee du Vin Maestro brand. This wine has a nice gold color and a fruity, fresh taste. But for 300 yen more a bottle, you get an entirely different experience: The Dynastie Shiojiri brand exclusively uses grapes from fields that are managed directly by the company rather than from contract farmers.
Q&A with Kusunoki Winery
Shigeyuki Kusunoki is the owner and winemaker at the Kusunoki Winery located in Suzuka City, Nagano – about two and half hours outside of Tokyo by Shinkansen and local train. Mr. Kusunoki opened his winery in 2011 after a career in the aircraft leasing business and is a graduate of the Oenology Department at the … Continue reading Q&A with Kusunoki Winery
Virtual Wine Tasting with Kusunoki Winery
We are still disappointed to have postponed our dinner event with Apero, a wine bar located in Aoyama. However, we are delighted to have been able to host some of you for a virtual tasting this past Saturday. We were not sure how it would go, but are pleased with how it went and hope … Continue reading Virtual Wine Tasting with Kusunoki Winery
Complete List of Nagano Winery Online Shops
Below is a complete list of Nagano wineries with online shops and a link to each. The list was compiled by Mr. Junya Hanaoka who oversees wine in the product promotion department of Nagano prefecture. You can also see some of our recommended online shops and wines here. Those are the "top hits", great and … Continue reading Complete List of Nagano Winery Online Shops
April Recommendations
Like us, we suspect that most of you are hunkered down waiting out the coronavirus. But despite the “isolation”, we continue to enjoy Nagano wines ordered online directly from the wineries. You can too! Our recommendations this month focus on Nagano wineries that offer a wide selection of interesting wines, payment by credit card and … Continue reading April Recommendations
