Japanese Wines – now these need talking about!

This week, I spent a grueling (yes, grueling) couple of days at London’s wine trade fair.

The stunningly pink Koshu grape of Japan

Grueling, not anything to do with the fair itself (an Aladin’s cave for a wine fanatic like me), but more because a) it takes one almighty effort to overcome the anxiety of having to visit that dastardly Excel exhibition hangar (the only good bit about that soulless venue is that you can watch the planes take off from City Airport), and b) the even worse experience of having to wrestle with London’s DLR.  Arrgh, get me back in a vineyard fast!

Once inside though, the wine fair itself is altogether less painful and this year’s highlight for me was a fascinating Japanese wine seminar held by the lovely Lynne Sherriff MW (former Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine).

Lynne presented a series of wines made from the indigenous Koshu grape, a white grape variety (actually it’s pink when you see it on the vine!) that produces delicate white wines, dry with balanced acidity and subtle, floral aromas.   To me, these wines were clean, fragrant and super elegant, not to mention a perfect match for all sushi lovers out there.

We’ll be seriously considering introducing Koshu wines into our range shortly.  Let us know what you think – thumbs up, yes??