The Maker Speaks
When I entered this shop, we seldom handled Japan-made wines. By importing, fermenting and bottling grape juice extraction from overseas, those can be called home-produced ones. In old days, the leading faction of Japan-made wine was taken by them that were unpopular and unappetizing. Even now, you can find those kinds at stores.
■ It sounds like swindling.
Y: I don't long to say so because the producers are also bound by the conventional circumstances. I just believed Japan-made wines were not tasty. 15 years ago, however, I went on a hot springs trip to Yamanashi and met the wine made from Yamanashi-made grapes. That was very yummy against my preconception! My hunch said the wines were going to be more delicious, then.
■ That included something special.
Y: Yes. Then, we got to visit the production areas to discuss with the producers and kept tasting. Our customers were also bound by the old preconception like me at the time. It took time to have increased sympathetic supporters, so. Today the producers have been more skillful than old days.
Japan isn't cut out for cultivating grapes for wine because it is too pluvial and little of sunshine. Its temperature's too high, moreover. So surprising are the fruits! Today, there are many producers who have tried to grow their wines up in several areas like Nagano, Yamanashi and Hokkaido.
■ They have tried so hard for making up tasty wine.
Y: I believe Japan-made wines have grown up as today for efforts and application skills of the producers. Japanese climate's different from European. So it cannot work in Japan to only follow the European method.
■ How about it on the distribution?
Y: We almost lay in wines from the importers. There are the wholesale prices and the desirable retail ones there. Japan-made wines tend to be higher than imports on the wholesale price. It is considered it is because they follow the distribution rules of Japanese sake.
Japanese sake usually distributes in the desirable retail prices and expensive on the wholesale. In wine, especially business use, however, we almost lower the desirable retail prices. So wine shops, we are difficult to deal with Japan-made wine whose wholesale price is expensive, because it's hardly of benefit to one. Therefore, we are difficult to increase handling of Japan-made ones. I guess we can see a light ahead, however, because they are tending to lower the wholesale price.
■ Is it still on the way to becoming perfect?
Y: I agree. Japan-made wines will be higher and higher. For instance, "Grace Wine" in Yamanashi is our old company who are judged as excellent internationally today. I have seen their angst and efforts to make their wine better. Their glory is, so, our happiness.
■ Wouldn't you express Japan-made wine in words?
Y: Needless to say, it cannot be expressed in a word since there are a great variety of kinds. "Koshu" is the representative species for wine, for instance. It is said the wine tastes like a graceful Yamato Nadeshiko that kimono goes well with, not a glamorous lady who wears heavy make-up in the Western.
■ It sounds like swindling.
Y: I don't long to say so because the producers are also bound by the conventional circumstances. I just believed Japan-made wines were not tasty. 15 years ago, however, I went on a hot springs trip to Yamanashi and met the wine made from Yamanashi-made grapes. That was very yummy against my preconception! My hunch said the wines were going to be more delicious, then.
■ That included something special.
Y: Yes. Then, we got to visit the production areas to discuss with the producers and kept tasting. Our customers were also bound by the old preconception like me at the time. It took time to have increased sympathetic supporters, so. Today the producers have been more skillful than old days.
Japan isn't cut out for cultivating grapes for wine because it is too pluvial and little of sunshine. Its temperature's too high, moreover. So surprising are the fruits! Today, there are many producers who have tried to grow their wines up in several areas like Nagano, Yamanashi and Hokkaido.
■ They have tried so hard for making up tasty wine.
Y: I believe Japan-made wines have grown up as today for efforts and application skills of the producers. Japanese climate's different from European. So it cannot work in Japan to only follow the European method.
■ How about it on the distribution?
Y: We almost lay in wines from the importers. There are the wholesale prices and the desirable retail ones there. Japan-made wines tend to be higher than imports on the wholesale price. It is considered it is because they follow the distribution rules of Japanese sake.
Japanese sake usually distributes in the desirable retail prices and expensive on the wholesale. In wine, especially business use, however, we almost lower the desirable retail prices. So wine shops, we are difficult to deal with Japan-made wine whose wholesale price is expensive, because it's hardly of benefit to one. Therefore, we are difficult to increase handling of Japan-made ones. I guess we can see a light ahead, however, because they are tending to lower the wholesale price.
■ Is it still on the way to becoming perfect?
Y: I agree. Japan-made wines will be higher and higher. For instance, "Grace Wine" in Yamanashi is our old company who are judged as excellent internationally today. I have seen their angst and efforts to make their wine better. Their glory is, so, our happiness.
■ Wouldn't you express Japan-made wine in words?
Y: Needless to say, it cannot be expressed in a word since there are a great variety of kinds. "Koshu" is the representative species for wine, for instance. It is said the wine tastes like a graceful Yamato Nadeshiko that kimono goes well with, not a glamorous lady who wears heavy make-up in the Western.
