KCP Fall 2015 Students Visit Yamanashi Winery
Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture, with all its rich, cultural, and historical aspects, is also responsible for 40% of domestic wine making production. Hokkaido in Miyazaki Prefecture also cultivates grapes and produces wine although in more limited quantities.
Japan has a wide range of grape varieties. However, most are for table consumption and only a small percentage is used for wine making. The types of grapes used for wine making are usually the imported cultivars including Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, the Koshu grape variety used in making white wine has evolved over the centuries and is now considered a local variety.
Koshu grapes. | Aw1805
The Koshu grape (Koshu is the former name of Yamanashi) is primarily grown in Yamanashi Prefecture. It was developed from vines imported from the Caucasia (a region at the border of Europe and Asia), through the Silk Road around a thousand years ago. The grape is a hybrid indigenous to Japan and has a relatively thick skin that can withstand Japanese summers.
Wine made from Koshu grapes is light in color and has a soft, fruity bouquet with overtones of citrus and peach. The taste is commonly describes as clean, delicate, and fresh. It makes a great pairing for Japanese cuisine.
Join KCP Fall 2015 students as they visit the Yamanashi winery and sample local wines.
For more photos of the trip, visit KCP Flickr.
