It is not often that one comes across a Japanese Cabernet Franc. This varietal is closely identified with the Middle Loire Valley, especially places like Chinon AOC, and Bordeaux, where it is often a blending partner with the more muscular Cabernet Sauvignon, but in this offering by Votano Wine one can see that in the … Continue reading Votano Wine’s Cabernet Franc 2020
There was a time when gin was not widely available at drinking establishments in Japan, and we are not talking about the distant past, either. Today, however, there is a gin boom taking place. New entrants are flooding the market, and it seems as if it will not be long before the saturation point is … Continue reading Sasshu Craft Gin
Hotel Gajoen On June 27, 2023, a major wine-related event was held at one of Tokyo’s most attractive hotels—Hotel Gajoen, which is located in Meguro. The Portuguese Wine Grand Tasting, which was organized by Wines of Portugal, supported by the Embassy of Portugal, and facilitated by the indefatigable Yumi Tanabe, President, “Sakura” Japan Women’s Wine … Continue reading The Portuguese Wine Grand Tasting at Gajoen
Hey, Manet, where's the shochu? We do not know whether Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond series of novels, was revealing any skeletons in British intelligence’s closet with his protagonist’s aversion to stirring (“Shaken not stirred.”), but we have always appreciated the utility of both of these manual maneuvers. We witnessed some of … Continue reading Shaken and Stirred
Kappa Carrying a Fish Trap of Octopus This is the fourth installment in our JFEX 2023 series. This week the focus is on a couple of beverages produced by a brewery in Tono City. If there is a kappa capital of the world, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, is it! For those unfamiliar with this mischievous … Continue reading Two Products from Kamihei Shuzo
A: Who's on first? B: Belgian Owl This is the third installment in our JFEX 2023 series. Before exiting the exhibition, I made a final stop, at a booth run by Belgian Owl Distillery. I was fortunate to have done so. Lambic, yes. Chocolate, of course. Mussels in wine, no doubt. Waffles, indubitably. French fries...well,...controversial. … Continue reading Belgian Owl Single Malt Whisky
The Cherry Seller, Sara Ploos van Amstel This is the second installment in our series on JFEX 2023, which was held at Tokyo Big Sight in June. This week we turn our attention to Yamagata Prefecture. On the afternoon of June 23, 2023, I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. Katsutoshi Suzuki of the … Continue reading Cherries, Cherry Wine, and Gastronomic Tourism in Yamagata Prefecture
Drinking Japan 