- Ikeda
Ikeda Wine Castle
A winery that saved a town and became a cherished local symbol
Opened in 1964, Ikeda Wine Castle was the first winery in Japan to be run by a local government body.
In the mid-1950s, Ikeda was ravaged by earthquakes and many a harvest was damaged by cold weather. With the town’s economy in tatters, the local government began growing grapes to rebuild Ikeda.
After many struggles, they succeeded in designing viticulture technology tailored to Ikeda’s climate and developing a new species of grape that could withstand the cold. The wine industry is now the backbone of the town and Ikeda Wine Castle is a symbolic presence. The winery was revamped in 2020.
Yamasachi
¥2,872
720ml
Grapes Yamasachi (red)
Taste/body Somewhat full body
Alcohol content (%): 12
Delicious talk
from Rui Yamata's
Yamasachi
Close your eyes and breathe deeply and you'll see Tokachi in your mind
What makes this wine distinctive is the earthy aroma and sourness of the Yamasachi grapes—you can tell that these grapes have been bred from wild ones.
Apparently the wine is aged in French oak casks for a year after fermenting, which adds to the potency of these grapes' characteristic bold aroma and refreshing tartness and gives this wine a medium body that strikes just the right balance between light and heavy. You can feel it spread through every inch of your body.
Room temperature is the obvious choice for this, although lately I've enjoyed adding ice and drinking it with soda for a refreshing taste.
I'd drink it with something a little fancy, like plums wrapped in bacon.
Head of Publicity Department, Pashuport