"Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Smart Cheese" is offered by Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.
Recently, as part of the "LOVE Tokachi Project" conducted jointly by the company and Obihiro City, they announced the Tokachi wine "42°55'", crafted exclusively for Smart Cheese by thoroughly pursuing compatibility with the cheese's rich umami and melting texture.
Let us take a closer look at what kind of wine it is.
About the "LOVE Tokachi Project"
The "LOVE Tokachi Project" is a collaborative initiative between Meiji and Obihiro City, aimed at introducing more people to the charms of the Tokachi region, which is blessed with abundant nature.
This time, based on the concept of terroir, a dedicated Tokachi wine that pairs perfectly with Smart Cheese was created as a pairing to fully enjoy the appeal of foods nurtured in the same Tokachi region.
Production and sales of the Tokachi wine were entrusted to the Ikeda Town Grape and Wine Research Institute, Japan's first municipally operated winery.
The wine's flavor, naming, and label design were reportedly finalized incorporating opinions from members of "Smachee-bu", the ambassador program for Smart Cheese.
About "42°55'"
"42°55'" is the wine born from the "LOVE Tokachi Project".
From among the Tokachi wines produced for this project, flavors that pair respectively with the "Aged Cheddar Blend" and "Mellow Parmesan Blend" of Smart Cheese were carefully selected, resulting in two varieties: "42°55' For Smart Cheese Cheddar" and "42°55' For Smart Cheese Parmesan".
"42°55' For Smart Cheese Cheddar", which pursues pairing compatibility with the rich umami of the "Aged Cheddar Blend", uses "Yamasachi", an original hybrid grape variety developed in Ikeda Town.
It is a bottle characterized by a wild, unique aroma inherited from wild grapes, along with crisp acidity and deep body.
Meanwhile, "42°55' For Smart Cheese Parmesan", matched with Smart Cheese "Mellow Parmesan Blend" which is known for its rich aroma, allows you to enjoy complex aromas and a harmonious flavor brought about by the blend of "Yamasachi" and Tokachi's signature variety "Kiyomi".
Regarding the wine's naming and label, an online vote was held by Smachee-bu members from among three design proposals, and as a result of a total of 1,573 votes, "42°55'", representing the latitude of the Tokachi region (42 degrees 55 minutes North), was chosen.
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"42°55' For Smart Cheese Cheddar" and "42°55' For Smart Cheese Parmesan" are currently accepting orders on the Ikeda Wine Castle e-commerce site.
In addition, they are scheduled to be sold at the Wine Castle 1F Shopping Area (Ikeda Wine Castle), Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza Yurakucho Store, and other locations.
If you would like to know more, please be sure to check the URLs below.
Reference
＜LOVE Tokachi Project Official Page＞
https://www.meiji.co.jp/dairies/cheese/meijitokachi/products/smart_cheese/ambassador/love_tokachi/
＜LOVE Tokachi Project Introduction Movie＞
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiM0OhgW0JQ