投稿者: webmaster

Japanese

The production of high quality Pinot noir is not an easy pursuit.
The grape variety is difficult to grow on many levels. Firstly, more than other grapes it really does ‘choose’ the sites in which it will perform well. Chardonnay can make a passably good wine under any number of environmental conditions: different soils, different climates, etc. But Pinot noir only performs in a narrowly defined range of soils and weather patterns… grow the grape in conditions not exactly fit to the grape’s comfort zone and the result is at best a boring, weak red wine. Pinot noir is also a notoriously particular grape when it comes to yields: over-cropping Pinot noir by as little as an extra ton per hectare will rob the grapes (and the resulting wine) of depth and character.
In the cellar, too, Pinot noir is a demanding partner. An extremely gentle hand is required, or the delicacy, silkiness and ethereal aromas that are unique to the grape will be destroyed, leaving a clunky, inelegant wine.
These many difficulties, though, hardly keep people from trying. In fact, given the frustrations and failures that accompany attempts to make great Pinot noir, it is surprising that so many try. But one experience with a great bottle of Pinot noir—the dancingly light, yet complex aromas, the silky palate feel and the gentle, earthy finish as soft as a lover’s kiss—will convince anyone of the heights that the grape can achieve. And we foolish winemakers fall under the spell of this most fickle partner.
The COCO TOARU PINOT NOIR was started from a new vineyard planted in Yoichi.
The growers responsible are the KIMURAS, a family operation that grows more Pinot Noir (and has done so longer) than just about anyone else in Japan. We have known the family for a long time, and have admired greatly their dedication to quality Pinot noir growing.
This new vineyard is planted on a steep west-facing slope of red clay-loam soils. The vines are lovingly attended, and produced only moderate amounts of very ripe Pinot noir.

■Winemaking:
Hand-sorted fruit. 80% de-stemmed, 20% whole cluster. Fermented at moderate temps (@ 23 deg-C) using wild yeasts. Fermentation time averaged 2.5 weeks, with periodic gentle pump-overs. Pressed into stainless steel tanks, settled.
Racked to barrels: 80% used oak, 20% new oak / 100% French oak
Barrel aged for 14 months. Racked to blend, small amount of SO2 added (<30 ppm). Bottled without filtration.

12/Dec/2022

●2020 pinot noir Wine Details PDF

Japanese

Zweigelt?….. Zweigelt????
What is it? How does one pronounce it?
The Zweigelt grape variety certainly has it’s share of identity problems. It is not very well known outside of some tiny corners of the wine world. And it’s name—rather clunky and unpoetic—doesn’t help attract followers. “Pinot noir” and “Chardonnay” sound delicious, mellifluous and rounded as the names roll off the tongue. Say “Zweigelt” and it sounds like you’re choking on a fish bone.
Which is all too, too unfortunate. Because Zweigelt (some call it “Zwei” to save time) is a very high quality red wine grape, uniquely suited to making wines of depth in the cold north of Hokkaido. The grape variety comes from Austria, where it was developed in the early 1900s by one Dr. Zweigelt (how’d you like to go through life with THAT name!). What Dr. Zweigelt was hoping to achieve via grape breeding we can only guess, but by crossing the St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch grape cultivars he ended up with an early ripening variety that yields (when done well) wines with excellent fruit, structure, color and aroma.
The 2019 COCO TOARU ZWEIGELT is our inaugural attempt with this wine from new vineyards planted in Yoichi’s Nobori sub-region. It is actually a blend of two vineyards…. The NAKAGAWA vineyard is “hidden” among a series of hills in Nobori’s northeast sector, a very sheltered spot with sandy soils and little wind. The KONISHI vineyard is in a far more exposed site, a hilltop overlooking the town of Yoichi and the Japan Sea.

■Winemaking:
Hand-sorted fruit. 100% de-stemmed.
Fermented at moderately high temps (@ 26 deg-C) using wild yeasts. Fermentation time averaged 3 weeks, with periodic gentle pump-overs. Pressed into stainless steel tanks, settled
Racked to barrels: 85% used oak, 15% new oak / 90% French oak, 10% American oak.
Barrel aged for 16 months. Racked to blend, small amount of SO2 added (<30 ppm). Bottled without filtration.

12/Dec/2022

●2019 zweigelt Wine Details PDF

English

高品質のピノ･ノワールをつくることは、簡単なことではありません。シャルドネは、異なる土壌、異なる気候などさまざまな環境条件下でも、そこそこ良いワインを造ることができます。しかしピノ･ノワールは､限られた範囲の土壌と天候のもとでしか通用しません。葡萄が居心地の悪い状態で育つと本領が発揮できず､退屈な赤ワインになってしまいがちです。おまけに、適切な収穫量を少しでも超えて収穫しようとするものなら、葡萄(そしてそのワイン)から味わい深さや個性を奪ってしまいます。
セラーでも、ピノ･ノワールは注文の多いパートナーです。優しく扱わなければ、この品種特有の繊細さ、シルキーさ、そして幽玄なアロマがそこなわれ、不格好なワインになってしまいます。
しかし､多くの困難があるにもかかわらず､人々はピノ･ノワールの栽培に挑戦しようとしています。むしろこれだけ多くの人が挑戦し、挫折しているのだから、ピノ･ノワールの素晴らしさを再認識できるというものです。軽やかで複雑なアロマ、絹のような口当たり、恋人のような優しい余韻･･･素晴らしいピノ･ノワールを一度体験すれば、この葡萄が到達できる高みに誰もが納得することでしょう。
この「こことあるシリーズ2020ピノ･ノワール」は、余市の新しい畑からスタートしました。生産者は、日本の誰よりも多くそして長く、高品質のピノ･ノワールを栽培している木村さん一家です。木村農園の新しい畑は、赤色粘土ローム土壌の西向きの急斜面にあり、葡萄の木は愛情を持って手入れされ、よく熟したピノ･ノワールを適度な量だけ生産しています。私たちは長い知り合いであるこの家族のピノ･ノワール栽培への献身をとても尊敬しています。
セラーでは、こことある哲学に基づき、葡萄を手作業で選果し、野生酵母で適度な温度で醗酵。優しくプレスし、古樽と新樽で熟成しました。ビン詰め時にわずかな亜硫酸塩を加える以外は何も加えず、ダメージを与えるような濾過装置の使用も避けて醸造しました。A Votre santé！　乾杯！

2022/12/14

●2020 こことあるシリーズ　ピノ・ノワールワイン・データシートPDF（プリントに最適です）

Japanese

Our vineyard of Cocoromi Gakuen was cultivated by intellectual disability students and their teacher in the　1950s. At present, there are five Cocoromi Gakuen vineyards including the central one with a steep slope, another new one at Akami in Sano city, our terrace vineyard, Frisee vineyard in Tajimacho Ashikaga city,and Tajimagawa-Ugan, the area consists of 6 hectars of vineyard. “Concerto in R” is a red wine, fermented with the grapes of these vineyards. We ferment with wild yeast from the grape skins and blend them with greatest care to maintain its good balance.
In the current severe climate variability “Concerto in R “ is a wine made with grapes grown at Cocoromi Gakuen vineyards and fermented with a simple and pure heart．The naming of this wine　“Ｒ” is the abbreviation of “Red”，“Rouge” and “Rosso”．We hope you enjoy this wine like a concerto played with a beautiful harmony．

14/Nov/2022

●2021 Concerto in R Wine Details PDF

Japanese

Two defining characters of the Petit Manseng grape are high acidity and high sugar content, even if it is grown in a climate of high rainfall and warm temperatures. In its original home, Jurançon, France, the wines are often made in a sweet style to capitalize on these features.
In Ashikaga, due to higher amounts of rain and extremely hot summers, we can get moderately acidic grapes with intense flavors of honey and lemon curd, and a ripe mouthfeel reminiscent of fig jam.
Enjoy this wine with fondue, fried oysters, fried fish with a sprinkling of lemon, grilled chicken with mustard, fruit salad, spare ribs, or Blue cheese tart.

14/Nov/2022

●2021 Petit Manseng Wine Details PDF

Japanese

Novocco Red Wine is a light, fruity, spicy red wine fresh from fermentation with a touch of residual carbonation. This wine is made in a “Nouveau” style, bottled young and immediately approachable. The grape involved is the Shokoshi grape, developed by the renowned Sawanobori family of Japanese grape breeders.
The juicy, effervescent character of this wine makes it a natural for charcuterie, cheeses, and good friends.

11/Oct/2022

●2022 NOVOCCO Wine Details PDF