Recently, the "Spring/Summer 2023 Collection Exhibition" was held at the headquarters of JUN CO., LTD. in Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Under the theme of "Counterculture," the exhibition presented the worldviews created by each brand.
Among them, the booth that stood out the most was "wa-syu OFFICIAL ONLINE SHOP (hereinafter wa-syu)," an online shop that proposes the enjoyment of Japanese wine.
Here, we report on the scene at the "wa-syu" booth exhibited at this event.
Kakuuchi Japanese Wine!
At the venue, various brands developed by the Jun Group were on display.
Amidst the large crowd of apparel professionals, for some reason at the back of the venue hung a noren curtain reading "Kakuuchi Japanese Wine"...
Approaching it revealed the booth of "wa-syu," well-known to NIHON WINE.JP.
True to its "kakuuchi" moniker, visitors could actually sample Japanese wines recommended by "wa-syu" in a casual kakuuchi standing-bar style.
On the wall, there was also a presentation introducing the wineries handled by "wa-syu" alongside a map of Japan.
Although we arrived at the venue early in the afternoon, it was impressive to see so many people gathered at the "wa-syu" booth, chatting with interest and enjoying wine.
Enjoying Comparative Tastings
Having come all this way, leaving without tasting some Japanese wine was out of the question.
Here are the Japanese wines offered at the "wa-syu" booth on this occasion:
★ Velvet Merlot F37 2020 French Oak
★ KATAOKA MERLOT 2020 AMERICAN OAK
★ Sur Lie Koshu Sparkling 2018
★ Signature Koshu 2019
★ Barrel Aged Muscat Bailey A 2019
★ Tsuyu
★ Jun Sparkling
★ Koshu 2021
★ Koshu 2021 Barrel Aged (French Oak)
★ Cryoextraction Koshu 2021
First, a comparative tasting of the signature Merlots from Domaine Kosei.
The French oak left a rich impression with ample fruit and oak nuances, while the American oak was round yet overall elegant.
Next was a comparison between Chateau Jun's "Koshu 2021 Barrel Aged (French Oak)" and an American oak Koshu kept hidden behind the counter.
A gorgeous palate featuring the characteristic citrus flavor of Koshu alongside nutty nuances derived from French oak.
The American oak version had firmer acidity than expected, offering a well-balanced profile of barrel-aged mellowness and sharp acidity that suited my personal taste.
Next to the "wa-syu" booth was "BLANCA," a premium sweets brand supervised by Tetsuo Higashi of the renowned Spanish restaurant "acá"...
Being sweets, we paired them with Chateau Jun's "Cryoextraction Koshu 2021."
With nuances of citrus and flowers, and a near-perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, "Cryoextraction Koshu 2021" shone.
Not only did it harmonize with the sweetness of the dessert, but the pleasant acidity of the wine also lingered pleasantly in the finish, allowing for an effortless, non-tiring pairing.
Incidentally, it goes without saying that I managed to taste every single wine being served.
Looking Forward to "wa-syu" Next Year!
The kakuuchi wine noren was made specifically for this occasion, and according to "wa-syu," they hope to bring it along to hold kakuuchi pop-ups in various locations going forward.
Personally, I would love to see them pop up unexpectedly across various towns and events.
"wa-syu" stated that they want to meet fascinating producers and handle many more wonderful Japanese wines.
Let us look forward to seeing what exciting Japanese wines and projects "wa-syu" will bring us next year.
References
wa-syu
https://www.instagram.com/wasyuofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/wasyuofficial