I was just wondering your logic how you map things, since for example you’ve mapped Aosta Valley as the actual region where they actually grow grapes, not the whole administrative region (which is mainly Alpine mountains).
The explanation is simple: this is a common project like wikipedia where users enter what they know and other users correct, enhance, and add. So if you find errors, please notify.
Of course, the goal should be to map according to appellation’s borders, not necessary what is actually planted.
Thanks for the links.
Are the any single vineyards defined in Japan? (Not necessary officially defined)
Yes there are. I’ve had several Japanese single-vineyard wines. However, I haven’t found any maps of these vineyards, so I have no idea where they are located precisely.
This thread is a little funny to me. Every time I have heard someone say, or see someone post about, “wow, Japanese wine is getting pretty good!” it’s the Takahiko Nana-Tsu-Mori. It seems to be the only Japanese wine that generates buzz, so I sometimes wonder if the repeated buzz is the wine itself, or building on the buzz. Takahiko makes a number of different wines, but it’s just that one that has made an international name.
I spend time in Japan most years, often in Hokkaido, and this past year we stayed a few nights in and around Yoichi where Takahiko is located, and tasted a large number of different Japanese wines, including a few pinot noir and pinot blends, more than one from Takahiko. There is a wide variety of grapes grown in the region - we were blinded on a Dornfelder (spolier alert: I didn’t guess it), and there are a startling number of kerners made - but the pinots are certainly the most celebrated. Unfortunately, most of them are not impressive. One night, we were put through wine pairings of 9 different natural Japanese wines, which ranged from one that was pleasant, to one that was truly revolting, though none of them were mousy. Fortunately, the food was superb. Other than that lineup and one bottle of kerner that went almost immediately down the drain, most of the examples we chose were nice enough - a sparkling wine, BdB, made in the methode champenoise was a good accompaniment to lunch, and there was one very promising chardonnay, as well as a field blend from Takahiko that called itself passetoutgrain, but had no gamay. We thought across the board, red and white, there was often a kelp-y flavor, and a general savoriness. The acid levels were across the board, too, sometimes screechy and sometimes flabby. As it happens, we didn’t have the Nana-Tsu-Mori on this trip, but the other pinots were sadly disappointing.
There is a lot of serious winemaking and grape farming going on in Hokkaido. It’s a big thing, and they are quite proud of local wines. I think there is a way to go before some of the promise translates to consistent quality, but the signs are good for at least having some character.
As far as I know, Takahiko makes 3 wines from their own grape, PN, Blanc de Noir vintage and BdN NV. These 3 wines are labeled under Nana-Tsu-Mori. They have another product line under the label of Yoichi-Nobori, grapes sourced from other growers, some of whom are the owner Takahiko Soga San’s apprentices.
