We spoke with head winemaker Ms. Sugai at this famous winery, which has even been featured on television.
The urban winery "Book Road" opened here in 2017.
Its name was reportedly chosen with the wish that "grapes" (bu), "cellars/wineries" (kura), and "people" (bito) would be connected by an unseen road and prosper together.
Each Floor Packed with Functions
The 1st floor houses the shop and winery, while the 2nd floor is compactly organized with part of the winery, bottling, labeling, packaging, and partial inventory storage.
They were right in the middle of bottling, with about four volunteers present. My apologies for visiting on such a busy day!
It is wonderful how they craft the wine together, including the preparation stages.
Tasting the finished wine all together must be truly special!
Is the 3rd floor a restaurant? A tasting room? A meeting room?
This area is also kept immaculate, reflecting Ms. Sugai's attentiveness everywhere.
The company originally operated restaurants before deciding to launch a winery.
Ms. Sugai, who had been working part-time at one of their restaurants, thought it "looked fun" and raised her hand to take charge of winemaking—what incredible initiative!
Come to think of it, she also visited my old stomping grounds, Chateau Jun, saying she "asked and learned many things," showing her true passion for learning.
This time, I was able to taste three varieties.
Their labels, designed with food pairings in mind, are famous!
Squid, sea urchin, hamburger steak, macaroni... filled with fun labels.
Personally, my favorite is the label for "Kamoshi Koshu," offering the characteristic pleasant bitterness of Koshu along with the versatility of orange wine.
Even though it is also an orange wine, the Delaware offers an even gentler flavor. It is hard to choose between them, so I will order both (laughs).
The Merlot also has gentle tannins, is well-balanced, and is easy to drink.
This time, I sampled items I had never tasted before, and their flavors have become even better over the past few years.
On the counter was a certificate for "3 Stars" at the 2021 Winery Award.
This year's results will also be announced in June, so I am looking forward to them!
An intriguing stick on the counter?
This is an "oak stick" used to impart oak flavors to wine. It is even an original with their logo.
I was impressed by their ingenuity given the limited space.
Head Winemaker Ms. Sugai
She brews, bottles, labels, and ships, and also finds time to sell at the shopfront.
Well-balanced and delicate, head winemaker Ms. Sugai reflects the very character of her wines.
Although it was a brief visit, she gave a thorough explanation. I look forward to visiting again when new releases come out.
Text: Masafumi Nishiura, Executive Partner, CruX
Click here for detailed information on Book Road
https://nihonwine.jp/winery_intro/bookroad/