Hello everyone, nice to meet you!
My name is Sayuri Arai, living in Sapporo, and my activities under the banner of the Hokkaido Wine Cheering Squad have entered their 16th year.
I will be sending you reports on the vineyards and winemaking from Hokkaido.
Looking at the grape cycle in Hokkaido compared to other areas, it is shifted by about a month.
Lately, that cycle has been changing a bit as well, though...
| Vineyard |
Bud break occurs in May, and as it gets warmer, the shoots and weeds steadily grow.
It is the start of busy vineyard work from spring onward.
| May photo |
And then grape flowering.
Have you ever seen grape flowers?
| Grape flower photo |
They have no petals and look just like handheld sparklers.
A wonderful fragrance drifts through the vineyard during this season.
Everyone who works with grapes hopes that it will not rain during this flowering period.
Because they have no petals, there is a higher risk of failing to set fruit.
| Close-up of grape flowering |
Close-up of grape flowering Once flowering passes, fruit set arrives.
After completing fruit set, the grapes swell little by little and come to look like grapes.
| Fruit set |
Since successful fruit set determines this year's harvest volume, it is a very important period.
And during that time as well, grape care continues.
| Work scenes: from left, spraying, weeding, trellis training |
The grapes hanging in a vineyard that everyone imagines probably look like this, pointing downward, right?
| Bountiful clusters of grapes before harvest |
In fact, grapes point upward at first.
Did you know that?
| Upward-pointing grapes |
As they gradually swell and become more like grapes, they hang downward from their own weight.
| At first, they look like this |
And right now, Hokkaido's grapes have begun to enter veraison.
It is only a very brief window of time when you can see these colorful grapes unique to this season.
Looking like real grapes, and until harvest, these grapes that are still rock-hard will grow into delicious grapes.
| Limited-season veraison |
This year, diseases like gray mold have already appeared while they are still rock-hard.
The fact that diseases and pests that never used to exist in Hokkaido have started appearing every year can likely be attributed to high humidity.
While it is nothing compared to the humidity of other areas, for Hokkaido, it is an astonishing level of humidity unlike in the past.
| Diseases have also increased 💦 |
Although Hokkaido was previously untouched by humidity-related diseases, information from diverse areas will be essential moving forward.
Amidst all this, Hokkaido's 66th winery was born this month as well.
The areas are spreading all across Hokkaido, and regions capable of producing good grapes are expanding steadily.
It has come to feel certain that the count will reach 3 digits in 10 years.
| A new winery |
"de Montille & Hokkaido" Report
Hokkaido's wineries may possess the greatest variety in Japan.
Here is a report on one of them, "de Montille & Hokkaido," which held its opening ceremony last month.
The prestigious Domaine de Montille, continuing for more than 300 years in France.
It is a high-profile winery led by its proprietor, Étienne de Montille.
In 2018, wine using Hokkaido grapes was vinified for the first time at 10R Winery in Iwamizawa.
| Yoichi Harvest 2018 — Harvesting happily is the motto / Special Pinot Noir |
| Crisply harvesting together with joy |
The vinification at 10R Winery at that time became a very fresh and inspiring season, including for the interns.
| From left: Preparation of carefully selected grapes, large fermentation tank that was a hot topic even at 10R |
The following year, at the tree-planting ceremony in 2019, people gathered from the French Embassy, the Hokkaido Prefectural Government, and various quarters.
Rather than "just a French winery starting up in Japan," I felt it was a project between two nations.
That was also palpable in Étienne's speech: "During the Meiji period, a Frenchman achieved great deeds here in Hakodate. Now it is my turn to be of service to everyone in Hakodate."
And in autumn 2023, experimental vinification finally began. It marked their first vinification of their own estate grapes.
July 26, 2024
The opening ceremony for de Montille & Hokkaido was held.
This time as well, starting with the French Embassy, many honored guests including the Mayor of Hakodate rushed to celebrate.
It was a wonderful reception attended even by representatives of renowned French wineries to celebrate Étienne's great achievement.
The wine experimentally vinified last year was also unveiled for this day.
I am greatly looking forward to the future winemaking of "de Montille & Hokkaido."
In this place completely transformed into a nightscape, a new challenge begins.
In Closing
Hokkaido, where new winemaking starts one after another.
By the time of the next report, new wineries will have increased again.
I will share winery reports for each area separately here.
I hope you will enjoy following Hokkaido's unmissable wine scene.
