Autumn Topics from Hokkaido
Hello, everyone.
Has it really been 20 years since I started wholeheartedly supporting Hokkaido wine??
I am Sayuri Arai from the Hokkaido Wine Cheer Squad.
Winter has completely arrived here in Hokkaido now, 💦
but let me bring you some of the topics from across the regions this autumn.
Every year around this time, I head out to various parts of Hokkaido to lend a hand.
For the vineyards and wineries I always visit, this season marks a truly important, once-a-year moment.
Yoichi Area
Recently, harvest volunteering has become a regular fixture at wineries across Hokkaido as well, so I imagine many of you have joined in too.
Yoichi in particular had great weather and a bountiful crop, with harvest volumes so large that contract growers were crying, "We don't have enough containers!"
A great deal of the grapes were in very fine condition, making me look forward to the 2024 vintage wines very much.
By the way, "arai vineyard" also harvested its own estate grapes in Yoichi, which are being vinified at "10R winery" in Iwamizawa (^^)
Sorachi Area
Within Sorachi, the place I go to help out the most each year is "Irenka Vineyard."
Last year, bird damage was even worse than in Yoichi, and you could see bird netting deployed everywhere.
However... this year the climate was quite different from last year; once October arrived, the temperature swings between morning and night returned just like the Hokkaido of old, and what a relief it was to see that the birds seemed to have properly migrated away.
Even in this area, which is home to many small wineries, yields were high, triggering an outbreak of the "not enough tanks problem"!
A happy problem, perhaps... but you can't just suddenly conjure up more tanks 💦💦
A new secret weapon appeared at Miyamoto Vineyard, also located in the Sorachi area!
Transporting grapes across steeply sloped vineyards where not even trucks can enter is quite an ordeal.
In addition to the system often seen in the Sorachi area of laying down sliders to carry baskets, this year they introduced this brand-new secret weapon.
Inside the shared winery that launched last year as a new venture, "MaroWines" also started their own winery.
They are recreating a model often seen overseas, tailored to Japanese specifications.
Their own estate vines were only planted this year, so this year's winemaking was once again done using grapes from contract growers in Yoichi.
A winemaker from New Zealand, where they trained, has also come over again this year.
Sobetsu & Date Area
While it is still an unfamiliar area to many, grape cultivation has already begun here, and several wineries are poised to launch in the future.
Since they are startups, production volumes at many of them are currently only enough for the wines to be poured at events and similar venues.
(At the Hokkaido Wine Festival held on Sunday, December 15, these winemakers are also participating as guests.)
Hakodate Area
In this area, where you can feel the great teamwork among both newly launched wineries and existing ones, I always love how close together they are, allowing them to go ask each other for advice whenever they face troubles.
It is an area where you truly sense each grower's distinct dedication to viticulture and winemaking.
Other Highlights
Before the harvest, I also visited wineries here and there again this year.
Although bird nets had been set up, I was so glad to see there was no damage.
And right now, the 2024 vintage is in the middle of fermentation. I will share more details about each winery next time.
Next year, the nationwide tour will kick off again.
I look forward to chatting with you over a glass of wine then! (^^)/
