Winery Stay 'Travigne' Experience Report

I went to the Niigata Wine Coast!

I was worried it might be cold since it was December, but by midday the sun came out and made it warm and pleasant.
It was the absolute best weather for a winery tour!

The Niigata Wine Coast is a wine region home to five unique wineries.
Since they are within walking distance of each other, you can enjoy the distinct character of each winery while taking in the surrounding nature.

And to top it off...overnight accommodations are available right on site!!
While free shuttle service is provided, being able to stay overnight at the winery means you don't have to worry even if you arrive by car.

The place I stayed at this time was
which opened in November 2019,Cave d'Occi Winery Stay "TRAVIGNE"
It is a wonderfully spacious and beautiful setting where you can forget the daily grind, with vineyards stretching out right before your eyes. Since it is an auberge, you can enjoy delicious local cuisine paired with wine.
Let me share my report right away♪

I stayed in the 1st floor room named "Kawauso" (Otter).
I heard the room names are taken from Cave d'Occi's Animal Series wines. It sounds like so much fun to drink the wine that shares its name with your room!♪

It was a wonderful, spacious room with high ceilings. The furniture, such as the sofa and table, was lovely and packed with vintage charm. Now this is what I call an escape from the ordinary!! A complimentary bottle of sparkling wine is included, so relaxing in your room is a wonderful option.

What is even more delightful for women is that all the amenities are"AVEDA" products.

Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and even body scrub—what true luxury!!
For someone like me who is very particular about bath time, nothing could have made me happier. You can safely leave all your bath supplies at home.

And
the greatest charm of all has to be the view from the balcony.

When I opened the curtains... vineyards stretched out as far as the eye could see. It felt as if I had the whole vineyard to myself!
This is a sight you definitely can't see anywhere else! I felt as though I had traveled overseas rather than being in Japan.
Stepping out onto the balcony, you can walk right out into the vineyards. Taking a morning stroll here must feel so wonderful. (By the way, it rained the next morning, so I had to give up on that...)
During warmer seasons, it would be lovely to sip wine on the balcony while taking in the natural surroundings of the vineyard, wouldn't it?♪

Long-awaited dinner time at the restaurant "TRAVIGNE". So excited! ^ ^
Since it's an auberge, many people come just for dinner, in addition to staying guests.

When I first entered the restaurant, I expected to be led straight to a table, but instead we were guided down into the underground wine cellar.

To my surprise, an aperitif in the wine cellar!! We toasted with sparkling wine while gazing at bottles still slumbering away. It almost felt... like a theme park! ♡

After the toast, we moved to the dining room. It was a wonderful space filled with the cozy warmth of wood. Being December, it was decorated for Christmas. How lucky! ✨
Dinner was a 10-course meal featuring creative French cuisine crafted with abundant local ingredients.
Fish from the Sea of Japan, fresh vegetables, and game meats!! So thrilling.

The very first dish brought out was "okayu" (rice porridge).
Of course! When you think of Niigata, rice comes to mind. It used a rice variety called Shinnosuke. It was sweet and delicious—truly worthy of Niigata.

As for the vegetables, we enjoyed plenty of fresh, sweet vegetables including celery and lotus root.

Among them, the shiitake mushroom served alongside abalone was exquisite! ✨ It was sweet, pleasantly firm to the bite, and packed with savory juices—absolutely supreme!!

Because the Niigata Wine Coast is close to the Sea of Japan, you can enjoy wonderful seafood. Plus, this time of year the fish are nicely fatty, making it perhaps the best season of all??
The winter yellowtail (Kan-buri) was sublime. My mouth waters just thinking back on it. I paired it with Chardonnay.

And for the final main course, today's game meat: wild duck. Wild game isn't something you get to eat very often, so my excitement reached its peak!!
First, they presented the meat with grand flair before plating individual portions. It was lean and healthy, beautifully fragrant, and deeply delicious. We enjoyed pairing it with Cave d'Occi's Pinot Noir. The wine's gorgeous, flower-like aroma was an outstanding match.
Ah... pure bliss ♡

Having thoroughly indulged in local flavors and Niigata wine, my heart and stomach were completely full.

Don't you ever feel like having one last drink after finishing dinner? (I always do, haha.) TRAVIGNE has an extremely stylish lounge bar attached, where you can raise a glass after your meal.

With a warm fireplace and a Christmas tree, the ambiance overflowed with luxury, making for a truly wonderful time.

And then there's the much-anticipated breakfast! Even though I was completely full from eating so much at night, it's amazing how hungry you get by morning, isn't it? ^ ^
Just like dinner, breakfast featured locally harvested vegetables, eggs, sausage,
along with homemade naturally leavened bread and yogurt.

It was served so stylishly, like this. Absolutely Instagrammable! ♪

Having breakfast while gazing out at the vineyard—time flowed by so peacefully and happily. Inhaling the fresh morning air, I took a stroll through the vineyard on the way back to my room.

Then, after checking out, off to the wineries we hadn't visited yet!!

In conclusion

Thank you so much for reading this far! ♪

Before visiting, I wondered what a winery stay would actually be like, but it far exceeded my expectations with its sense of luxury, delicious food, and wonderful wine.
It was a truly blissful time where I could forget all about work.

Seeing is believing. If you are a wine lover, you should definitely go experience it for yourself!!
Next time, I want to go with someone special ♡ (Seriously!)