[#WineTravels] It's Autumn Foliage Season! Grab Some Wine and Head Out on a Mini-Hike

Hello, everyone.
【Wine, Food, & People (Wine-shokunin)】Miyuki Isobehere.

We are in a lovely season to enjoy crisp air and beautiful autumn foliage.
With so many clear, sunny days lately, I imagine many of you are going on outings.
I recently hiked Mount Takao and, blessed with good weather, was even able to see Mount Fuji.

Now, if you are going out to savor wonderful scenery and fresh air, you naturally want some delicious wine to go with it.
However, making a boxed lunch before leaving early in the morning is tough, and wine bottles are heavy... when it comes to actually doing it, a few bothersome issues arise.

So this time, I would like to introduce ways to enjoy wine outdoors, along with easy-to-make snacks that pair well with wine and are perfect for rejuvenating a tired body after hiking.

• Preparing the wine! →"Can I really carry a wine bottle?"
• Preparing the snacks! →"Let's prepare some food"
• Preparing the gear! →"I want to be thoughtful about glasses and cutlery too"

"Wouldn't it be great to drink wine while taking in the beautiful view at the summit!" You might get all excited saying that, but let's stop and think for a moment.
Isn't it heavy? Deciding who gets stuck carrying it would definitely come down to a game of rock-paper-scissors.
And depending on the number of people, if you open a full bottle, will you actually be able to finish it all? If you push yourselves to drink it and get drunk, can you safely hike back down?
On the other hand, continuing to walk while carrying an open, half-empty bottle of wine is mentally a bit of a burden, too.
I once went through the trouble of bringing a full bottle to a picnic, only to forget the corkscrew and be unable to open it, having to carry it all the way back home—a bitter memory.

So, what I recommend is “MINIVIN”!

These are mini 100 ml wine bottles (equivalent to one glass). They come in sturdy glass bottles with screw caps.
And what's more, you can currently choose from over 250 varieties, allowing you to pick your favorite wines to match the location or theme of each hike or picnic.
When gathering in a large group, intentionally preparing an assortment of different types might also add to the fun of everyone choosing together on the day.
Above all, what I like best is that every single one is a genuinely delicious "Japanese wine."
Even if you decide, "Let's drink Japanese wine!", I don't think you usually get the chance to freely pick single-glass portions from such a vast selection.

After looking through the options and debating, even though there were just two of us women this time, we got a bit greedy and brought four different kinds.

The two of us happily enjoyed 50 ml each of the four wines. But even if you can't finish them all, the screw caps make them easy to reseal, and they aren't heavy enough to be a burden, giving you peace of mind.
Well, we finished them all, though.

When choosing wine snacks for mountain trips, aside from being delicious, I think the key points are:
・Easy to prepare
・Helps recover from fatigue
・Convenient to carry
And the perfect food for wine that meets all these criteria is cheese!
All you have to do is cut it into easy-to-eat shapes and arrange it on a platter, so it is super easy. You can even prepare it the day before.

The protein in cheese is very easily digested and absorbed, and its constituent amino acid profile contains all essential amino acids in a well-balanced way.
In addition, amino acids such as leucine, valine, and isoleucine contained in cheese are thought to build muscle and repair muscle damaged by exercise. That’s a wonderful benefit for a body tired from hiking.
However, while cheese provides protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins A and B complex,it lacks dietary fiber and vitamin C.
So, skewering vegetables like cherry tomatoes, boiled broccoli, or cucumbers on picks and adding them to the platter improves both the presentation and the nutritional balance.
Sweet cheeses containing nuts or cinnamon were also effective for a tired body.

If you're taking the trouble to drink delicious wine, drinking from a paper cup feels a bit bland.
Lately, many manufacturers sell wine glasses made of plastic or resin. (You can even find them at 100-yen shops!)
Both are lightweight, so putting them in a backpack won't be much of a burden.
Using a real glass changes both the aroma and taste of the wine, and above all, mood is important when enjoying wine.

Other essential items for me are paper napkins and a piece of cloth.
You often see scrap fabric sold cheaply on discount carts, right? If you find a pattern you like, buying a piece comes in very handy.
Outdoors, you will often use public tables, so spreading a piece of cloth is great for hygiene, and it makes the food and wine look even more appetizing.
At the end, it’s efficient to wipe off any moisture from the glasses with a paper napkin and put them in a Ziploc bag to take home.

Furthermore, this time I wanted to serve vegetables and fruit, so I brought a lightweight wooden board and wooden cutlery.
Wooden cutlery is also lightweight and can be purchased at 100-yen shops.

Like this, even without elaborate preparation, a few simple touches allow you to enjoy an uplifting outdoor wine experience.
Not just for mountain climbing, a trip to a nearby park is more than enough to refresh your spirits.
If it’s sunny this weekend, why not take some wine and go on an outing?

Here is the wine enjoyed this time 🍷

Available for purchase on Yahoo! Shopping at "MINIVIN Shop by WINE WORKS".

https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/wineworksaoyama/?sc_i=shp_pc_store-item_strh

CAVE D'OCCI (Niigata) / Funpy White (White) MINIVIN size 100ml
Varieties: Delaware, Niagara, Sauvignon Blanc
"Funpy" stands for "Fun wine make you happy!!".
It conveys the winery's desire for as many people as possible to enjoy drinking it.
Chill it well and enjoy drinking it freely and happily outdoors or on a terrace in pleasant weather.

Cave d'Occi (Niigata) / Funpy Orange (Orange) MINIVIN Size 100ml
Varieties: Delaware, Niagara
2020 is its first vintage.
The top notes offer gorgeous tropical fruit nuances, muscat aromas, and a hint of ginger derived from whole-cluster fermentation.
The palate is dry and soft, with a distinct sense of astringency derived from maceration.

Cave d'Occi (Niigata Prefecture) / Funpy Rosé (Rosé) MINIVIN Size 100ml
Varieties: Steuben, Campbell Early
Crafted with minimal added sulfites.
A fresh, great-value wine featuring rich acidity alongside sweet-and-sour aromas reminiscent of citrus and strawberry.

Fermier (Niigata Prefecture) / Rosé Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris (Rosé) MINIVIN Size 100ml
Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris
A rare rosé blend crafted from Niigata-grown Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.
A bottle with pleasant sweetness, a gorgeous aroma derived from Pinot Noir, and a rich fullness from Pinot Gris.
A wine that pairs wonderfully in good balance with dishes utilizing herbs and spices.