Tour four wineries in Miyazaki Prefecture: Aya, Miyakono, Gokase, and Miyakonojo,
Enjoy classic and new wines while listening to the thoughts of the winemakers and growers.

Tour of wineries in Miyazaki, a tropical country that has developed its own unique style

　However, in recent years, wine has become so much a part of daily life that even convenience stores in Japan are stocking low-priced original products. The technology of Japanese wineries is improving day by day, and we can see how the wine culture is spreading in Japan.
　However, in the Kyushu region, where shochu culture is deeply rooted, especially in Miyazaki Prefecture, wine has a strong impression of being something special, and the image of wine as a "foreign culture" seems to be more persistent than in other regions.
　However, wineries have been established in Miyazaki Prefecture for more than 10 years, and now there are four wineries in the prefecture, starting from the north: "Gokase Winery" (Gokase Town), "Miyakono Winery" (Miyakono Town), "Aya Winery" (Aya Town), and "Miyakonojo Winery" (Miyakonojo City). The number of wineries has increased to four, including "Miyakono Winery" (Miyakonocho), "Aya Winery" (Aya Town) and "Miyakonojo Winery" (Miyakonojo City).

　For this report, our friend Chiho Takei, who is a certified wine expert, accompanied us to four wineries in the prefecture, where we toured the factory, interviewed the winemaker, evaluated the new wines, and covered various aspects of the wines, such as the cuisine that goes well with each wine.
　We have also spared no effort to introduce parts of the winery (manufacturing plant), the cellar, and work scenes that are generally rarely seen, so wine lovers are sure to enjoy the show to the end.

 

AYA Winery

Fresh & fruity and juicy wines.

Address: 1800-19 Oaza Minamimata, Aya Town, Higashimorogata-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone: 0985-77-2222
Parking: Available
URL:http://kuramoto-aya-shusennomori.jp

　We will start with the Aya Winery, located in the forest of Aya Shusen, a brewery owned by the long-established shochu distillery Unkai Shuzo.
　Unkai Shuzo, a long-established authentic shochu distiller, wondered, “Can't we do something to revitalize the town by utilizing local power?” The company established Aya Winery in 1994, and currently produces a wide range of wines, including not only domestic wine made from fresh grapes, but also authentic wine made from European grape varieties that are highly drinkable. The winery boasts an annual production of 300,000 bottles.
　The quality of AYA wines is so high that they win prizes at domestic wine competitions every year, with AYA Wine Niagara winning the Encouragement Award at the Domestic Wine Competition 2013.

Mr. Seiji Fukuda, the factory manager, gave us a tour of the factory. Fukuda and the rest of the brewing staff are all certified as wine advisors by the Japan Sommelier Association!

When we first started up, we were really worried about what kind of wine we could make that would be accepted in Miyazaki, where shochu culture is deeply rooted. The Black Olympia, Delaware, and Niagara varieties, which were mainly produced in Aya Town for fresh eating, were perfectly suited to Miyazaki's climate, producing dark berries, highly aromatic, and robust. However, when using these grapes as raw materials, I could not imagine European wines with austerity and acidity that were common at the time, and I was confronted with many questions when considering the basic style. What gave me a hint was a German white wine I happened to come across. It is slightly sweet, easy to drink even for beginners, and has a depth of flavor that even wine connoisseurs like. I was convinced that this wine could be accepted and enjoyed even in Miyazaki, where there is no wine culture, while taking advantage of its freshness and juiciness for fresh eating, and the concept of AYA wine was established.
　He made many trips to Yamanashi Prefecture, which is famous for its wines in Japan, and studied from scratch while interacting with wineries in Hokkaido to perfect his current fresh, fruity, and juicy wines.

 

Facilities "Aya Sake Spring Forest

A "Sake Theme Park" operated by the local Unkai Sake Brewery

　The Aya Winery is located in the "Kuramoto Aya Sake Spring Forest" operated by Unkai Shuzo, and is marked by its European church-like exterior. Inside, visitors can observe the manufacturing process through a glass-walled walkway and view panels showing the process of making Aya wine. (See "Factory Tour" below.)

　Sake Spring Forest, surrounded by the natural beauty of Aya, is a sake theme park with various facilities such as the brewery of Unkai Brewery, Morino Sake Brewery, a store selling shochu, sake, wine, beer, and local souvenirs, lodging facility Ayaotei, five restaurants, glass art Kuroki by Kuniaki Kuroda, a contemporary master craftsman, and a sweets store. It is a sake theme park! The facility is so popular that tourist buses line up even on weekdays, and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the prefecture, attracting one million visitors a year.

 

Factory tour

Technology to maximize the freshness, fruity and juicy nature of grapes

　When the winery was first established, it began with a white wine made from the richly sweet and juicy Black Olympia grape from Aya, and now it produces a variety of varieties, including Campbell Early, Delaware, and Niagara.
　A major characteristic of AYA Winery is that the grapes are fermented at low temperatures for a longer period of time, similar to the process used for sake, in order to preserve the freshness of the grapes without losing the fruity quality of grapes for fresh consumption. Another feature of this method is the use of a balloon press to slowly and softly press the grapes so that the freshness is not lost during the pressing process.
　In addition, they make invisible efforts in the preliminary stages of the factory process, such as partnering with farmers to produce "seedless grapes" in advance in order to avoid the astringency of the seeds and to eliminate the need for seed removal.
　During the bottling process, the wine is aseptically filtered and not heat-treated to preserve the freshness of the wine.

The exhibition displays the many certificates that have been awarded to date.
When I first received the award, I couldn't believe it myself, but the local people and the then president of the company were really pleased. I would like to continue to enter competitions, not for my own satisfaction, but to receive a solid evaluation from an outside perspective," said Mr. Fukuda, factory manager.

This is a pressing machine used in the days of manual labor without civilized equipment. It is displayed together with paintings of old winemaking scenes, giving it not only a retro feel but also a sense of realism.

　Tours are conducted through glass windows looking down on the factory below from above. The state-of-the-art machinery and working scenery are fascinating, but it is also exciting to see tens of thousands of bottles of freshly made wine piled up right in front of you.

 

Gourmet Wine and Gourmet☆

Full menu☆Wine & Beer Restaurant Cortocoras

Hours of operation: 11:00-15:00

 Wine & Beer Restaurant Cortocoras, located right next to the Aya Winery, offers a wide range of menu items, from Western-style gourmet dishes such as pasta and stone oven pizza that go perfectly with wine and beer, as well as Miyazaki's famous chicken nanban and children's dishes that are safe even for families with children.

 Pizza is baked in a stone oven upon order. The chef is proud of his original dough, which is crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside in just a few minutes after it is placed in the stone oven!

 Both wines by the glass and full bottles can be ordered at the restaurant. Among AYA wines, Delaware and Muscat Baily A, which are popular as food wine, go well with fish and meat dishes, both Western and Japanese! We recommend ordering a variety of wines by the glass to match your meal!

Muscat Baily A (red, dry) (left)
　A light and gentle red wine with a refreshing aroma and clean mouthfeel. You will be enchanted by its bright ruby color when poured into a glass.

Delaware (white, slightly sweet) (right)
　This is a fresh and lively wine that looks as if it has been drunk straight out of the bottle. Its fruity and subtle sweetness will go especially well with meat dishes with acidity, such as lemon, and light chicken dishes!

　Now, let's take a look at the restaurant's recommended gourmet menu♪

 Pizza Margherita (1,000 yen)
　A simple pizza topped with tomato sauce and a generous amount of natural cheese. The fragrant aroma of the dough just in front of your eyes stimulates your appetite.

 Aya wine marinated mushrooms from ▲ken (450 yen)
　A refreshing marinade of fresh vegetables and a variety of mushrooms including shimeji, himeke, and shiitake mushrooms. The slight flavor of white wine elevates the quality of the marinade to a higher level. Delaware Niagara, a refreshing white wine, is perfect for this dish!

Slowly simmered beef stew with Aya wine (with rice or bread) 1,600 yen
　The beef stew is so thickly cut that it rises from the plate like a mountain! The beef stew is so tender that the fibers fall apart just by touching it with a fork. It is served with a special sauce that has a deep, rich flavor and a mild aftertaste.

 

Shopping Corner "Morino Sake Brewery

Enjoy shopping while tasting shochu and wine from Unkai Shuzo☆.

Business hours: 10:00-17:00

 At the "Morino Shuzo" sales store, shochu, sake, wine, and local beer produced by Unkai Shuzo are all on display, each with seasonal products and recommendations available for tasting.

 The shochu, sake, wine, liqueur, and food corners are all elegantly displayed by type, but the most popular products are all displayed in one corner, making it very easy to shop.

 

Recommended New Wines

　This year (2013), the conditions were favorable with long hours of sunshine and little rainfall by harvest time, resulting in a confident lineup of wines that are among the best in the history of AYA wines! The new varieties all had fresh and fruity aromas that overflowed from the small tasting cups, as if they were trying to show themselves off to the fullest☆.

AYA Wine "Niagara" won the Encouragement Award in the North American and other varieties, white category of the ▲Domestic Wine Competition 2013! It is the only wine from the prefecture to win this award and is attracting more and more attention worldwide. Its fruity mouthfeel and slightly sweet flavor make it easy to drink and ideal for wine novices and as a gift. Its gorgeous floral aroma is impressive☆.

 The "Cabernet Sauvignon (red, dry, red)" and "Merlot (red, dry, green)" wines, exclusive to Sakaisen-no-mori, were born from the desire to produce world-class wines that would satisfy wine connoisseurs who visited the facility, as well as those born with the revitalization of the town in mind. Cabernet Sauvignon (red, dry) and Merlot (red, dry, green)
Cabernet Sauvignon is a robust, dry wine with a rich blackcurrant aroma characteristic of the grape variety! It is a wine with a pleasant astringent aftertaste. The Merlot is characterized by its subtle oaky aroma, the original fruity flavor of the grapes, and moderate acidity.

Our parent company is a shochu company. However, we never want people to think that we are a shochu company running a winery on the side, and we never want that to be the case. Therefore, we have our own wine qualifications, and based on a solid concept, we will continue to make wines that are loved by the local people, that make people happy when they drink them, and that make them repeat customers. And we will be happy if we can spread the joy of wine to as many people as possible.
　Mr. Fukuda, the factory manager, who spoke with us. We would like to thank Mr. Fukuda, the factory manager, and all the staff members for their courteous and helpful response to our long interview!

 

Miyakono Winery

Wine making starts with the soil! Miraculous wine made from 100% locally grown grapes and home-grown European grapes

Address: 14609-20, Kawakita, Miyazaki-ken, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone: 0983-25-5501
Business hours: [Winery store] 9:30-17:00
             TSUNO FARM CAFE】11:00〜16:00
Closed: [Winery Shop] Open daily (except New Year holidays)
           TSUNO FARM CAFE】Tuesdays(the next day if Tuesday is a national holiday)
Parking: Available
URL:http://www.tsunowine.com

　Next, we will introduce "Miyakono Winery" located in Miyakono Town☆.
Based on the concept that "wine is local sake," the winery started with 30,000 bottles of 1,001 TP3T grapes grown in To-no-machi by local contract farmers with their own technology, and has developed into a rare winery in Japan with a stable annual production of over 200,000 bottles. It has developed into a rare winery in Japan that is currently producing over 200,000 bottles per year.
　At a time when wines made from fresh grapes were not widely recognized around the world, Campbell Early (rosé) was selected as one of the "100 Best Wines of the World" in the British critic's Wine Report 2004. The quality of the wine is stable at a high level and has become a winery that attracts attention worldwide.
　The most noteworthy point of this wine is that it uses 1001 TP3T locally grown grapes. As mentioned in the AYA Winery Report, Miyazaki Prefecture is affected by the rainy season and typhoons from spring to summer, when grapes grow most actively, and in early autumn, when the harvest comes.

Seiji Akao, grower and brewer, who gave us a tour

　However, in the town of Miyakono after World War II, he started an agricultural revolution by growing fruit trees and grapes while improving the soil and varieties, dreaming of a rich agriculture that does not rely on rice cultivation, and even today, Miyakono Winery continues to carry on his passion and dream. We are still discussing with our contracted farmers to grow good grapes, improving the soil at our own farm, and focusing on growing European grapes such as Chardonnay for white wine, Syrah for red wine, and Pinot Noir while working on a new cultivation method.
Only good grapes can make good wine. Of course, the grapes that come in from the farmers are only high quality grapes that can be sold at a high price. Wine made from local grapes is a "local sake" that expresses the local climate. The wines of the world are also local wines made from grapes grown in the region. We will continue to challenge new things in the future so that Tsunoh Wine will spread from the local area and over time become a local sake loved as a wine of the world," said Mr. Akao (see above image).
　In addition to focusing on grape cultivation, the company is also expanding the variety and range of its products by studying brewing techniques in Australia and systematically creating new world-class products.
　In this report, we were given a special tour of the factory (see below), and Miyakono Winery generously introduced the various technologies and ideas it prides itself on.

 

Facilities

Full cafe menu☆An attractive view from the restaurant overlooking the lawn and the city.

 The winery is a Western-style chapel-like building located at the top of a hill on the west side of National Highway 10. There is a spacious parking lot in front of the main entrance, and from the building, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the soft grassy plaza that spreads all around and the town of Miyakono beyond. Inside the facility, there is a shop selling wines produced here, original goods and souvenirs from the prefecture, a tour course, and a café, where visitors can not only shop, but also enjoy food and wine on the spot.

 

Factory tour

　The winery has established a system to produce 200,000 bottles in five years from the first 30,000 or so bottles brewed. Since microorganisms are the key to wine, they pay a great deal of attention to sanitation, and the wine tanks and floors are shining and polished everywhere you look.
　In addition to the standard wines of the Tohno Winery, the winery also produces sparkling wine made in collaboration with mangoes, a local specialty, and passion fruit from Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture, as part of a project to contribute to agricultural revitalization, as well as wine made from locally produced plums. It is surprising to learn that these wines were not made by adding fruit juice to flavor wines, but rather by utilizing winery technology to ferment the juice and pulp of the fruit itself without adding water, just as wine is made.
　We have also developed a sparkling wine made from barrel-aged Chardonnay that is second fermented in the bottle and finished by traditional manual methods over a period of four years, "Grappa" made by distilling grape pomace and wine from the winemaking process, and "Cello," a grappa-based product that is combined with To-no lemons and plums grown in Miyakono, We are working on the production of new products that can be enjoyed permanently while being conscious of ecology and tradition without wasting raw materials.

Barrel-aged storage (left) Labeler (right)
The aging process in the barrels makes the wines contain the aroma of the barrels and concentrates the wine's delicious flavor. Each taru has its own character, and the wine changes depending on the degree of baking in the taru. The use of quality barrels in a compact size allows for diverse management," says Akao. Also, this labeler is a rather rare machine in Japan.

 

Tohno Winery uses "ZORK" instead of "CORK"☆.

　Wine breathes and ages through cork, so corks have generally been used for wine closures for a long time. Before corking, the cork is one size larger than the mouth of the bottle, and when tightened, the cork is compressed and placed into the bottle.

　Here, we had the opportunity to experience corking, which was done manually before the development of machines.

 ▲The pressure on the cork to tighten the bottle. When pushing it in, we had no idea how far into the bottle it was.

 ▲Comparison of cork before and after it is compressed (left) ▲Cork allows wine to mature, but on the other hand, if the cork is of poor quality, it has the disadvantage of deteriorating. (Right: A graph when he explained the variation in quality depending on the cork)

　To eliminate the disadvantages caused by the variation in the quality of cork itself (it would be nice if high quality cork could be used all the time, but the cost of cork materials can easily increase the price of wine by hundreds of yen) and to offer To-no wine in the absolute best condition, To-no Winery has adopted "ZORK" for the first time in Japan to protect the nature of the cork tree and to prevent the damage of the cork tree. In order to protect the nature of the cork tree, "ZORK" was adopted for the first time in Japan.

　In recent years, we have seen screw caps made of aluminum, but screw-type caps leave a "skirt" on the bottle, which becomes an "impurity" when the bottle is crashed and recycled, often resulting in a lower purity when reused as glass, while "ZORK ZORK" rolls up everything, making it suitable for recycling.

 The grappa distiller is currently undergoing a long-term project to produce grappa. Grappa is an alcoholic beverage made from grape pomace produced in the winemaking process, and may be seen on the market as a new product to be released by Miyakono Winery in 2014.

 

Sawtooth oak forest and vineyards

 The sawtooth oak forest in front of the Miyakono Winery was a major inspiration when growing grapes on our own farm. The forest, which has existed since before the winery was built, is a place where wild birds and animals run around and bear large acorns in abundance in the fall.
He said, "We have dropped so many acorns into the soil, yet no new shoots have grown. This means that the balance between this soil and the sawtooth oak has been maintained, and this is a completed forest. The soil about 10 cm below the surface has a strong microbial activity and a thick earthy fragrance that you can smell through your nose. The deeper you go, the milder the smell. Grapes absorb nutrients close to the surface, so we realized that grapes would not grow on this hill unless we created soil with such active microorganisms," says Akao.

 The farm has been refining its own techniques while searching for the right balance of nutrients in the well-drained soil, cultivation methods, crossbreeding, and development of new varieties.

 

TSUNO FARM CAFE

A space where you can enjoy wine, lunch, and café with a vast view.

 In the brightly lit restaurant with gorgeous outside light, you can enjoy wines made at the Miyakono Winery, lunch and finger food menus that go perfectly with the wines, and cake sets during café hours. Among them, we would like to introduce our recommendation☆.

 

Tasting set 1,200 yen

(Set of 3 wines and snacks)

 You can select 3 types of wines that you like or would like to try, and enjoy tasting them.

　Wine choices were, from front left, "Campbell Early", "Sparkling Passion", and "Sparkling Red". Also, the snacks change daily, and this day's plate was a variety of Camembert cheese, Earl Grey tea cheese, nuts and dried grape butter, fresh tomatoes, and crackers!

 

BLT sandwich 900 yen

A sumptuous sandwich of thickly sliced bacon from Miyachiku and fresh local vegetables on German bread!

 

Winery Shopping Corner

In addition to the standard wines, there is a wide selection of limited edition wines.

　In the store corner, in addition to the Tsu-no Winery wines commonly found in the market, there is a wide range of products exclusive to Tsu-no Winery, such as bags and magnum bottles that are perfect for wine!

▲The superbly sweet "Sweet Tsuno" is recommended as an after-dinner dessert. Wrapping is also available!

▲Tofu Wine also sells carefully selected high-quality olive oils and books about the history of To-no Wine!

 

Recommended Wine

　A variety of authentic wines made to the highest standards, utilizing the technology and knowledge of the Miyakono Winery in all processes from grape growing to fermentation and bottling!

 The 2013 new wine from Miyakono Winery, which has been producing classic wines with a subdued flavor and consistent grape quality year after year through soil reform and grape variety improvement, was the best vintage in Miyakono Winery's history, thanks to the good weather and excellent grape quality!

Campbell Early (rosé, slightly sweet) (right)
　Characterized by its rose color and graceful sweetness, it is the most popular wine of Miyakono Wine. Characterized by the use of grapes from the Ozuzu district. It is perfect for slightly sweet flavored Japanese dishes such as simmered dishes!

Left: Muscat Berry A (red, dry)
　The method of production brings out the variety's characteristic fruity aroma, and the fruitiness is well expressed. The light, dry finish makes this a wine that you will never get tired of.
Right: Chardonnay Unfiltered (white, dry)
　A gem of a Miyakono wine from a single vineyard of the best Chardonnay. This popular wine is authentic, barrel fermented, lactic acid fermented, and barrel aged!

 Sparkling Red (left)
　This red sparkling wine was inspired by the sparkling coffee Mr. Akao encountered in Europe. The astringency characteristic of red contrasts perfectly with the stimulation of carbonation!
Right: Sparkling Campbell Early
　A sparkling wine with an enchanting bright rose color and fruity aroma and sweetness, made with only the finest fruit juice. It is said to "bring happiness," and is a favorite not only for everyday use but also as a gift and for anniversaries!

Old Campbell Early 2006
　A vintage wine that shows the underlying power of Campbell Early aged for 7 years! The history of Miyakono Wine is engraved on the label. The wine has an enchanting retro brick color due to its aging, and the balance between mild acidity and sweetness is exquisite!

Not only during the grape-growing season, but also during the winter when we work on the soil and visit the vineyards every day. Wine made from locally grown grapes is a local sake. It goes perfectly with local dishes such as nijime, oden, and other Japanese dishes. Grow good grapes, brew good wine, and the grapes will be loved by the local people and spread throughout the world, making the village of grapes the village of wine. One person's dream of "Hyakuji Nagatomo" becomes everyone's dream = "A DREAM SHEARD BY ALL" is the way of the Tohno Winery," says Seiji Akao.

　Thank you very much for your time!

 

Gokase Winery

This winery is located on a hill at an altitude of 660 meters, surrounded by the majestic Aso Five Mountains and rich in nature.

 Address: 4847-1 Oaza Kuwanouchi, Gokase-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone: 0982-73-5477
Business hours: 【Wine Hall】9:00〜17:00
             Restaurant Grapes Above the Clouds】11:00〜15:00
Closed: Wednesday (restaurant only)
Parking: Available
URL:http://www.gokase-winery.jp

　Next, we will introduce "Gokase Winery" located in the northernmost part of Miyazaki Prefecture. Gokase Town, with its high elevation and firm difference in temperature, has a climate similar to that of Tohoku, and is comparatively suitable for grape cultivation even in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is often hit by typhoons and rain, so grape cultivation is attracting attention as a new activity comparable to tea farming, which is a specialty of the area.
　Today, a variety of grapes are grown for fresh eating, including Black Olympia, Delaware, and Niagara. Gokase Winery was established in 2005 to revitalize the town and promote agriculture by taking advantage of the potential of its thriving grape cultivation.
　In 2006, shortly after the start of the business, "Niagara" won the Bronze Prize at the 4th Domestic Wine Competition, and the following year, "Niagara" won the top prize in the North American white wine category at the 5th Domestic Wine Competition in Japan.
　Currently, the company has contracts with 30 grape growers and uses 1001 TP3T of locally grown grapes to produce a wide variety of wines based on the fruity, sweet and juicy juice of the grapes, with a sense of freshness.

Ichiro Saeki, a brewer who gave us a tour of the restaurant.

Gokase Town has the quality of grapes and the environment to produce wine that only Gokase Town can offer. Gokase is a rare winery in Japan with such potential, combining the wonderful scenery of the 660-meter-high "Sunset Village," wine made from local grapes, and gourmet food mainly made from high-quality local agricultural products. With this basic concept, we strive to produce wines that can only be made in Gokase. We are also working on making an authentic red wine inspired by the beautiful sunsets that can be seen from here. Currently, the number of bottles is limited due to the scarcity of grapes, but we hope to establish a stable supply in the future," says Ichiro Saeki.
　In this report, we will give you a special tour of the factory and introduce you to the wines and gourmet foods that you can only experience at Gokase Winery☆.

 

Facilities

　Gokase Winery, located on a hill at an elevation of 660 meters, is called the "Sunset Village" of Gokase Town, and is situated in a beautiful place to watch the bright red sunset over the outer Aso Mountains. On a clear day, you can see the bright blue sky and distant Mt. Aso and the sunset in front of you, and on a rainy day, the view is fantastic, as if you are standing on a cloud! On rainy days, the view is as magical as if it were built on top of the clouds.

　The facility includes a winery, store, product center, and restaurant "Grapes Above the Clouds." Even on weekdays, sightseeing buses climb the hill, making it a famous landmark in Gokase Town, visited by many tourists every day. The facility is equipped with a stage and barbecue facilities, and seasonal events are held here, including the "Winery Harvest Festival in Gokase," a new sake festival in the fall.

 

 Factory tour

　Gokase grapes are characterized by a better balance of acidity and sweetness and a lighter, fresher taste than grapes from the southern part of the prefecture. The Gokase winery makes wine that makes the most of the freshness, fruitiness, and juiciness of the grapes themselves, as if they were bottled in their own bottle. To achieve this, they use a balloon-type machine to slowly apply pressure in the pressing process, crushing about 70% of the grapes so as not to crush the seeds, and then use fresh juice from which the excess has been removed. In order to take advantage of this freshness, they keep the temperature lower than usual and ferment the wine slowly over a period of three weeks. There is a method of repeatedly filtering the juice to prevent re-fermentation, but at Gokase Winery, the flavor and freshness is lost as soon as it is filtered, so one of the main features is to remove excess substances by stabilizing the juice and lowering the temperature of the product. After that, the bottles are inspected with the utmost care for quality control.

　During the factory tour, we were introduced to every step of the process, from purchasing grapes to bottling and labeling.

 

Restaurant "Grapes Above the Clouds

Healthy buffet with a focus on locally grown vegetables☆.

(In winter, from December to the end of February, it will be changed to the order form.)

Fees
Adults (junior high school students and older): 1,480 yen 70 years old and older: 1,280 yen Elementary school students: 800 yen
Infant: 400 yen, under 3 years old: free

　The restaurant "Grapes Above the Clouds," located in front of the wine pavilion, has an impressive white interior reminiscent of a vineyard. The menu is full of healthy dishes that incorporate plenty of vegetables harvested in Gokase, with a variety of dishes lined up depending on the day's purchases. Of course, you can order a glass or full bottle of wine made at the Gokase Winery.

 The dishes are composed mainly by female staff, and all are colorful and pretty, including vegetable and fruit fritters, vegetable pizza, terrine, cereal salad, grilled vegetable cheese, handmade jams and handmade desserts, all with feminine touches in their displays and containers. The buffet is very gorgeous to look at.â

　The buffet features a wide selection of local specialty green teas, healthy cereal teas, homemade herbal teas, grape teas, and fresh juices.

Campbell Early (rosé, slightly sweet)
　A slightly sweet wine that seems to capture the natural sweetness and freshness of the grapes. The bright, lovely color is very attractive.

Niagara (white, sweet)
　This is a refreshing sweet wine with a gorgeous fragrance like kumquats and a freshness like muscat.

 

Shopping Corner "Wine Hall

Wine tasting available. Also note the select food items that go perfectly with the recommended wines!

 Inside the store, you will find a wide selection of wines made at the Gokase Winery, original goods, recommended souvenirs, and food selected by the staff to go perfectly with the wines.

There are also wine cups and wine bottle stands made from ▲ wood, as well as world-famous sommelier knives and wine openers!

 

Recommended Wine

Delaware (white, slightly sweet) (left)
　This juicy wine has a fresh, citrus-like aroma of lime and grapefruit, and is full of freshness.

▲Sunset (red, dry)
　This authentic red wine is made from Merlot and Petit Verdot and aged in oak barrels. It has a beautiful deep black cherry color and is easy to drink with mild astringency and acidity.

Haruna Kohrogi, a staff member of the Wine Museum, who guided us around the Gokase Winery, commented

The wine has improved with each passing year, and this year is our best yet. 2013 new wines have been available since mid-October, so please come and enjoy our wines and food in this beautiful natural setting."

　Thank you very much for your kind attention to our long interview!

 

Miyakonojo Winery

Volunteers realize their dream! The Miyakonojo Winery is located at the southernmost tip of Kyushu at the foot of Takachiho Peak.

 

Address: 5265-214 Yoshinomoto-cho, Miyaki-shi, Miyazaki Prefecture (Brewery)
Phone: 0986-33-1111
　　　0986-22-1546 (Secretariat)
Parking: Available
URL:http://www.bonchi.jp/wine/

　The final stop on our "Miyazaki Winery Tour" is Miyakonojo Winery, the southernmost winery in Kyushu, located at the foot of Takachiho Peak.
　About 11 years ago, at a cross-industrial exchange meeting of about 20 local volunteers, the idea of a winery to support the future of local livestock farming and agriculture, as well as the current president Yamauchi's dream, took shape in the blink of an eye, and the winery concept took on a realistic form. The winery is unique in the prefecture! This area is a sacred place where many myths live and breathe, including the legend of Amaterasu Omikami hiding in Ama-no-Iwato and the legend of the descent of Amaterasu Omikami's grandson Niniginomikoto from the heavens. The city of Miyakonojo is also home to some of Japan's highest quality food ingredients, such as livestock and agriculture, as well as some of Japan's best industrial technology.

President Masayuki Yamauchi, who gave us a tour.
wine advisor
With the title of Knight of the Order of Bontemps, awarded to those who have contributed to the promotion of Bordeaux wines.

After the winery project started, we searched for a suitable location for growing grapes, which are known to be susceptible to rain, and arrived at the current site. When we started to cultivate the vineyards, we really struggled with the amount of rainfall and cultivation methods unique to Miyazaki, a tropical country, as well as with the management system and stability of the raw materials. During that time, we were supported by many volunteers and local people. Finally, we released our first vintage three years ago in 2010. Then, the neighborhood was closed off due to foot-and-mouth disease, and unfortunately, we were hit by natural disasters such as the eruption of Mt. However, despite these circumstances, we were confident that we were making a good product, and with the support of experts who appreciate the high level of perfection of this Miyakonojo wine, as well as volunteers and local residents, Miyakonojo Winery is now evolving," says President Yamauchi.
　President Yamauchi, a wine advisor and winemaker, will introduce the wines he proudly brews and other initiatives unique to Miyakonojo Winery.

 

Facilities

 Kirishima, and nearby Kirishima Shrine, a sightseeing ranch, and various resort facilities attract many tourists every day. After the first vintage, the brewery and wine store were completed in 2011.

 The major characteristic of Miyakonojo Winery is that instead of growing fresh food grapes, which are easy to grow in this region, they create their own grapes in a way that is suited to the land by growing wine-specific grapes or crossbreeding them with mountain grapes, and produce wine from their own farm-grown grapes!
Miyazaki is an environment where it is difficult to grow red wine varieties. However, Miyakonojo is a treasure house of livestock farming, boasting top-class quality in Japan for chicken, beef, and pork. A robust, austere red wine is the perfect accompaniment to dishes made with meat that has a robust flavor. In order to produce a wine that matched the local ingredients, it was necessary to create grapes. The grapes are grown by the Bonchi Knights, a powerful volunteer group that supports the Miyakonojo Winery," says President Yamauchi.
　The first vintage was carefully pressed by hand, following the winemaking tradition, to give thanks for the grapes.

The Bonchi Knights, a volunteer group of grape growers. Currently, there are more than 200 members! The origin of the name of the organization is that President Yamauchi, at the appointment ceremony for the "Bontan Knights," saw the "Bontan," a bowl hollowed out of a large tree into which hands are placed during the oath of office, and named it the "Bonchi Knights" because its shape resembles the basin of the Miyakonojo city.

Display in wine store representing grapes and wine

 

Factory tour

 Normally, the tour is conducted from a deck right next to the wine store, but this time we were given a special tour of the factory.

 Even though the winery brewery has only been in operation for a short time, President Yamauchi, who has a full-fledged knowledge of wine, has made very delicate balance adjustments in terms of taste, including astringency, acidity, and sweetness, as well as aroma and hue. The winery is conscious of the world-class quality of its wines, valuing the outside perspective by having not only the winery staff but also world-renowned sommeliers taste the wines.

 This year's grapes were very good thanks to the weather, which was blessed with little rain and long hours of sunshine from spring to harvest. The sugar content was higher than expected, and the wine is said to be the most perfect to date as a result of expressing the ideal flavor while blending the juice from the pith, seeds, and skins to bring out the astringency and acidity.

 

Recommended Wine

 One of the main features of Miyakonojo Winery, whose concept is based on the "mythical legends" of Takachiho's peaks, is that its wine brands are named after gods from mythology.
　In the Izumo Fudoki, an old Japanese record, the legend of Yamata-no-orochi, it is written that "the fruit of many trees was gathered to brew wine. The god who came down to the peak of Takachiho may have enjoyed the wine made from the grapes, or wine, and may have taught the local people how to make it, and this may be the birthplace of wine. ......" Here are some recommended wines from the wines filled with the romance of such Takachiho's peak.

Left: ISHIKORIDOME (white, dry) (left)
　Ishikoridome is the god who creates the mirror that serves as the sacred body of the shrine. Chardonnay 100%, a crystal clear wine that seems to reflect everything.

▲Right: SHINMOE (red, slightly sweet) (right)
　A barrel-aged wine with gentle tannins and a slight aftertaste of sweetness that is gentle and pleasant to the palate. It is easy to drink and recommended for wine novices.

▲Left: TAJIKARAO (red, medium to full) (left)
　The flavor seems big and receptive, like the name of a powerful god. It has a deep red color and a milky aroma derived from lactic acid bacteria fermentation, along with berry and plum aromas.

AMENOUZUME (white, sweet) (right)
　This dessert wine is pressed using the ice wine method, taking advantage of Miyakonojo's refrigeration technology. It has a peach and passion aroma, sweetness, and a refreshing citrus-like acidity.

Miyakonojo Winery has great potential now. From grape cultivation to fine-tuning the taste, winemaking is an unknown world. Currently, most of our wines are mainly made with meat dishes in mind of Miyakonojo's livestock farming, but we would also like to move forward with making wines with gentle flavors that would pair well with Japanese food and that would fit the name of the female goddess perfectly. Without forgetting our role in supporting local foodstuffs, we would like to produce wines that are loved by the local community in cooperation with local technology.
　President Yamauchi says. Thank you very much for your time!

 

Interview and editorial staff

Model/Report: Nozomi Nakamoto, Chiho Takei
Photography and production: VOKE Ltd.