Ah, orange, that’s an interesting word. It can refer to that narcissistic color that demands attention in nearly any setting in which it is encountered or to the fruit produced in such sunny climes as Florida or Valencia. The English language did not start to employ it in its color sense until the 16th century. The Impressionists embraced the color and “convincingly illustrated [its] power. The painting that gave the movement its name, Claude Monet’s Impression Sunrise, has, at its centre, a bright orange sun.”1
The fruit in this sparkling wine is Niagara, grapes that is, which Robinson et al. describe as the “foxiest American hybrid of them all.”2 And that is not hyperbole, either! Fukagawa Winery’s TOKYO 2021 Orange Sparkling has an unmistakable animalistic nose with clearly discernible yeasty notes and hints of beer and apple. On the palate, it is slightly astringent and more than a bit sour, with a very low level of sweetness. One of us felt that it was somewhat akin to grapefruit. The alcohol is at 11%, and, as can be seen from the photograph below, it is unfiltered. This is the output of Tokyo’s third oldest winery, and it is thoroughly enjoyable. Don’t let the foxy put you off: embrace it!
1St Clair, K. The Secret Lives of Colour (UK: John Murray, 2016).
2Robinson, J. et al. Wine Grapes (UK: Penguin, 2012).
Drinking Japan 