Hokkaido Wine? Of course

Part 1

My friend José and I had a short three-day sprint through Hokkaido, Japan, where plenty of exciting wines are coming into their own voice. We found seriousness and sincerity.

The short trip made us appreciate the existence of pinot on the island, but chardonnay is trickier. I’d love to see them explore grapes that easily hold on to their acidity. Aligoté might be terrific. And those blends? They’re pretty tasty. But for all of my speculation, when I taste the fruits of Takahiko and Ichi, when I taste the depth of the Nora Kura, I am forced to put aside my pronouncements and instead sit back and let this island’s story spin. I trust the inquisitiveness and instinct of those creating the island’s wine future. In a short decade, they’ve shown direction, maturity, and enough flexibility to dare to be fluid. In a traditional land, they dare to unchain from tradition.

I’m sending this to you in two batches as the profiles is too long. However, subscribers! I have a full PDF of the journey which is for subscribers only, if you want me to send it to you send me a ping, and it’s yours. —Alice