VinosYamazaki
Yoshiki Nakatani

When he tried champagne for the first time, he was moved by its taste and became fascinated with the world of wine. After working in a wedding hall handling wine, he joined VinosYamazaki. From 2023, he will be the manager of VinosYamazaki COREDO Muromachi store.

VinosYamazaki is a wine specialty store founded in 1913. They visit wineries around the world and negotiate directly with winemakers, without going through importers. This allows them to deliver high-quality wines to customers at the most affordable prices. At COREDO Muromachi store, many customers buy wines on their way home from work, so they stock a wide range of wines at affordable prices even if you just drop by.

This season, Beaujolais Nouveau is also available. It has a taste that overturns the image of it being weak and unremarkable, so please look forward to it.

Our first recommendation is the affordable yet authentic sparkling wine "Montmarsal Extremarium." This is Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine. Like Champagne made in the Champagne region of France, it is made using the traditional method of secondary fermentation in the bottle (※1), but compared to the ever-increasing prices of Champagne, its price is kept low, making it a wine with excellent cost performance.

*1 Secondary fermentation in the bottle: A method in which wine that has already been fermented is fermented again in the bottle. It is also called the "Champagne method" or the "traditional method." It is characterized by delicate, fine bubbles.

Among all the Cavas, Montmarsal Extremarium boasts the highest sales in the sparkling wine category at VinosYamazaki. Due to its popularity, it was out of stock for half a year, but the long-awaited new vintage has now arrived. While non-vintage champagne is the norm, which is a blend of wines from multiple years, this wine uses grapes from a single year only. In addition to three varieties of local grapes grown in-house, it is luxuriously blended with Chardonnay that has been fermented in barrels and aged for a long time. It has a sharp, dry taste, but also a solid richness and complex flavor, resulting in a high-quality taste that is comparable to champagne. It goes well with all kinds of fish dishes, such as white fish sashimi and carpaccio.

While there are sparkling wines that are suitable for aging, this Extremarium is one that you can enjoy immediately after purchase. You can use a flute glass to create beautiful bubbles, or a white INGNI to enjoy the gorgeous aroma. Please chill it in the refrigerator and enjoy it.

Next up is a bottle that could be said to be the face of VinosYamazaki. Meritage Napa Valley was created with the desire to deliver wine from Napa Valley, California, a luxury wine region where wines costing hundreds of thousands of yen are produced, at an affordable price. It overturns the common belief that Napa wine is delicious but expensive, and boasts immense popularity, having been the No. 1 seller in the red wine category at VinosYamazaki for 10 years.

You can enjoy the rich fruitiness that is unique to Napa Valley wine, and the balance of juicy sweetness and moderate acidity is wonderful, giving it a luxurious taste. It goes well with meat dishes such as thick steaks and steaks with sweet and spicy sauces. Drink at room temperature in a large glass to open up the aroma. Personally, I recommend uncorking it about 30 minutes before drinking. The aroma and flavor will mature by exposing it to air. Enjoy the difference in flavor between the day you uncork it and the next day.

The third is a low-alcohol sweet wine called "Soleil Cuvee Yuko." This wine was created when the mother of VinosYamazaki 's president, Yuko Tanemoto, fell ill. The doctor told her to try drinking red wine, but her mother had trouble tolerating wine, so she said, "I want a wine that's low in alcohol and easy to drink." In response to that request, we decided to develop this wine in collaboration with a famous chateau in the south of France. It took three years to create.

While most wines have an alcohol content of 12-13%, Soleil Cuvee Yuko has an alcohol content of 6%. By using fully ripe Merlot grapes, the wine is sweet without adding sugar. It is perfect for people who don't like wine, those who are not used to drinking it, those who don't want to drink strong alcohol on weekdays, and for parties where many people gather.

It's delicious to drink chilled, and we also recommend warming it up to make hot wine in the winter. The screw cap makes it easy to open and close. You can enjoy it in a wide range of situations, such as pairing it with desserts like vanilla ice cream, or drinking it as is before going to bed, even if you don't drink it all at once. You can also try a free sample at the store, so please give it a try.

VINOSITY maxime
Yuki Yokoyama

After working in hotels in Saitama, he was in charge of food and beverage at restaurants and cafes in Tokyo, and served as manager and chef sommelier at Vinocity Maxim.

At Vinocity Maxim, we want more people to enjoy wine more casually and on a daily basis, so we offer a selection of wines and original bistro dishes that go well with wine at reasonable prices. In addition to ordering in the store, you can also purchase bottles to take home.

What we value in our wine selection is cost-effectiveness and a sense of the season. We stock wines that are high quality but affordable, with a focus on wines that you would want to drink in that season, regardless of genre.

We visit wineries all over Japan and are active in promoting Japanese wine, so we have a relatively wide selection of over 30 types of Japanese wine. Popular brands can be enjoyed by the glass or bottle. This season, we offer not only Beaujolais Nouveau from France, but also Yamanashi Nouveau, a new wine from Yamanashi Prefecture.

Our first recommendation is a bottle from Domaine Tetta, a winery that specializes in nature wines (※2) made in Tetta-cho, Niimi City, northwest of Okayama Prefecture. This rosé wine is made from a black grape variety called Aki Queen, which is derived from Kyoho grapes, and has a slight sparkling flavor. It is sweet yet light. It is fruity yet dry, making it a versatile wine that can be enjoyed on its own or with a meal.

*2 Nature: Natural wine, known in French as "Vin Nature." There is no clear definition in Japan, but it generally refers to wine made from organically grown grapes and fermented naturally with natural yeast. It also refers to wine made with minimal use of antioxidants (sulfites).

When considering pairing food and wine, a classic method is to match them by color, and this wine goes well with a wide range of dishes, from tomato sauce and prosciutto, sausages, to shellfish such as shrimp and crab.

Like white wine, this wine is best enjoyed chilled to 8-10 degrees and served casually in your favorite glass. Start by pairing it with appetizers, and as the temperature of the wine rises, the fruitiness and volume of the black grapes will stand out, making it a perfect match for a warm main dish. The appeal of rosé is that you can enjoy it throughout dinner with just one bottle. Please enjoy the unique characteristics of a variety native to Japan.

The second recommendation is from Fattoria AL FIORE, a winery in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Zao. The owner, Hirotaka Meguro, a former chef in Italy, makes completely natural wines using local grapes.

This is "orange wine," which has recently become increasingly popular. This wine was made in Georgia, the oldest wine-producing region in the world, but in recent years, its merits have been rediscovered, and many orange wines are being produced, mainly by nature wine producers. Among them, the quality of domestic nature orange wine seems to be very high.

Fattoria al Fiore uses a white grape variety called "Delaware." The skins and seeds are fermented together to extract a pigment, giving the wine its orange color. It has more volume and a more complex flavor than white wine. It pairs well with grilled seasonal vegetables with tomato or basil sauce, and salt-grilled pork or chicken. There aren't many opportunities to drink orange wine yet, so why not take this opportunity to discover your own unique pairing?

Fujin Tree Taiwanese Culinary Aromatic Tea
Dai Ueda

He became interested in wine because of the profound combination of wine and food. After working in numerous restaurants, he became General Manager/Sommelier at Fujin Tree in 2020.

Fujin Tree's owner, Jay Wu, comes from an apparel background and wanted to create a fashionable street in Taiwan like Daikanyama in Japan, so he opened his own Shops in the beautiful green area of Fujin Street in Taipei. In order to bring more vitality to the area, he asked major Japanese select Shops to open stores, and created a street with about 20 different types of Shops. Fujin Tree is one of those stores, and was opened in 2014 as a restaurant. It was created with the hope that people who work in Fujin Street and friends who have come from Japan can enjoy Taiwanese cuisine in a fashionable way.

In Taiwan, places for drinking and eating are generally separate, but Fujin Tree is influenced by Japanese food culture and values the luxury of enjoying a drink while eating. The restaurant offers a wide variety of traditional Taiwanese dishes, with healthy and gentle flavors that are low in oil. Please enjoy the same flavors as the Taipei main store with champagne or wine.

Fujin Tree has the concept of "a restaurant where you can enjoy sophisticated Taiwanese cuisine with champagne in a stylish atmosphere," and offers a lineup of about 20 types of champagne at the lowest possible prices. It is interesting to pair Taiwanese cuisine, which has IN of being B-grade gourmet, with champagne, which is synonymous with high-class alcohol.

This "Bernard Tournay" is the most popular champagne at Fujin Tree. The owner encountered it while visiting France, fell in love with it, and now imports it himself, so you probably won't see it often in Japan.

It has a scent reminiscent of candied citrus fruit peels. Made with 70% Pinot Noir black grapes, it has a full, rich fruit flavor that pairs well with Taiwanese cuisine. Although the price of champagne is rising, it is also attractive that it is priced at less than 10,000 yen per bottle.

Another recommendation is a white wine from King Estate, a winery in Oregon, USA. It is made using 100% Pinot Gris grown in their own certified organic vineyards.

Pinot Gris has its roots in black grapes, so it is characterized by its particularly rich body. Taiwanese cuisine uses a variety of spices, so it goes very well with Pinot Gris wine, which has aromatic and complex nuances.

Aromas of ripe pear, white peach, lemon lime and tropical fruits. A fresh, well-balanced wine with lively acidity and a long finish.

We will also introduce three dishes that really shine when paired with wine.

The first dish is "Stir-fried water lotus and nuts," which is ordered by most customers who visit Fujin Tree. It looks similar to stir-fried water spinach or pea sprouts, but this is a type of water plant called "water lotus." This vegetable is rarely available in Japan, and is imported directly from Taiwan, so there are very few restaurants in Japan where you can eat it. Its defining feature is its crunchy texture. It is an addictive texture that Japanese people have probably never experienced before. The brown nuts are pickled vegetables called "habushi," which are often used as a seasoning in Taiwan like soy sauce, and are stir-fried with the dipping sauce to create a more original and flavorful finish.

"Taiwan Fried Tofu" is fried tofu made with GYOKU tofu. This specialty dish is made by mixing carefully selected GYOKU tofu with a special sauce full of the delicious flavor of oyster sauce. You will be surprised by the melting texture and rich flavor that is different from regular fried tofu. It goes well with both of the wines introduced above, but if I had to choose, I would recommend pairing it with "King Estate Pinot Gris". The aromatic and spicy flavor of this wine goes well with rich sauces.

The most impactful meat dish is "Pork Belly Braised in Jujube and ViS Sauce." Pork belly is braised in a sweet soy sauce-based sauce containing ViS and Shaoxing wine until it becomes very tender.

Although it looks heavy, the gorgeous aroma of ViS and the natural sweetness of jujube make it taste lighter than you would imagine. You can enjoy a completely different taste from Japanese braised pork. Pair it with the champagne "Bernard Tournay," which has a strength that stands up to fatty meat dishes, and you'll be hooked.

LA BONNE TABLE
Keisuke Kumekawa

After working as a sommelier in a Spanish bar for about 10 years, he joined the Michelin three-star French restaurant "L'Effervescence" and honed his skills in pairing. He will be working at La Bonne Table from 2022.

"LA BONNE TABLE" is a sister restaurant of the three-star Michelin restaurant "L'Effervescence". Chef Kazunari Nakamura serves casual gastronomy dishes using carefully selected Japanese ingredients, cooked using traditional French techniques without being pretentious.

The wine selection is not limited to France, but includes a wide range of niche wines from around the world. The cellar can be seen from outside the store, and sometimes surprised sommeliers from overseas come in, asking, "What is this?". In addition to wine lovers, professional sommeliers often come to learn about wine pairing.

Recently, I've been paying attention to wines from cool regions. Starting with Germany and Austria, Central Europe such as Slovakia and Hungary, and also cold regions such as New York, wines from these regions have clean flavors, are light, and are food-friendly.

This white wine is produced by the winery "FINCA SAN BLAS," located in the mountains a little inland from the Valencia region along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It has a mature aroma of grains and nuts, but also the white floral and citrus aromas typical of young wines, bringing out the best of both worlds, and the reason for this is the unique production method that differs from that of regular wines.

Usually, if a wine's vintage is 2015, it means that it was made from grapes harvested in 2015, but this wine is made by blending wines like "eel restaurant's secret sauce" that are made by adding wines made in the past to large barrels, using grapes from 2015 as the base. In order to bring out the outline of the vintage's individuality more clearly and to create a more interesting and complex flavor, it combines a fresh and aged feel. This method is not often used for white wine because of the cost and effort required to store old wines, but it is used in champagne and sherry.

The dish I paired it with was chestnut risotto. It is important that the wines have similar colors when pairing, and the color of the wine, which gives a sense of maturity, matches the color of the risotto very well.

The rich flavor of cheese and chestnuts, and the mellow, piping-hot texture of chestnuts, blend wonderfully with the aroma and creamy texture of aged wine. In addition, the blend of young wines brings out the fresh minerality and saltiness, which changes the flavor dramatically.

When pairing, eat the food first, then take a sip of the wine while the aftertaste is still lingering. The idea is to match the aftertaste of the food with the flavor of the wine. By the way, when pairing with sake, the sake plays a role similar to a sauce, as you drink the sake while having the food in your mouth, which is called "palate seasoning."