When I think wine, and I think Japan, the two don’t necessarily go together in my head. Of course, there’s plum wine and sake, but this trip I’ve been able to sample some really nice wines made in a European style. The first was Villange de Bessho, from the area of Nagano we were staying in, Bessho Onsen. This red wine was made in a traditional Bordeaux style (or, at least, that’s what it tasted like) and was served rather cold. The chill of the wine killed the flavors on the front end of tasting, but on the back you definitely began to get the full experience of the some. As it warmed up it just got better and better. The second wine I discovered in a wine bar in Tokyo. It too was from Nagano, this time a chardonnay, but I’ll have to do a bit more digging to learn the name. Interesting, this wine smelled very sweet, but came away with a slightly tart flavor upon drinking. If I happen upon another chance to visit Japan, I think a wine tour of the Nagano region is in high order.

Filed under:
Travels, Wine is fine by Courtney