In recent years, new wineries have been springing up one after another all across Japan.
Amidst this, Chiba City's very first winery is scheduled to open in 2025.
That winery is "Chiba Winery," which is taking on the challenge of crafting world-class wine with the aim of establishing Chiba as a wine-producing region that lasts for 100 years.
It has been announced that the winery is launching a crowdfunding campaign starting October 13.
The Chiba City Wine Project aims to become a wine-producing region that lasts for 100 years.
Let us take a look at what this project entails.
About the Chiba City Wine Project
Tackling this ambitious project to establish Chiba City's first winery is Hiroyuki Otsuka of the Winery Business Department at Tomio Co., Ltd.
Mr. Otsuka began his career in a specialized wine retail shop in 1999. After serving as a manager at department store wine shops and other roles, he returned to his hometown of Soga to work at a liquor store.
Focusing on pioneering Japanese wine and expanding sales channels, he was involved in launching specialty shops for Japanese wine and sake, as well as managing events such as the "Japanese Wine Festival."
Born and raised in Chiba City, he has an immense love for Chiba. Wondering what he could do for his hometown and putting thoughts into action, he is currently cultivating grapes and launching the winery at Chiba Winery.
However, why build a winery in Chiba City?
Behind this was a single thought held in the heart of Shigeyuki Osawa, President and Representative Director of the company.
That thought was: "Chiba City has few things it can proudly boast to other regions."
After deep deliberation, the answer the company arrived at was "to make wine in Chiba City."
Driven by a desire to be involved in cultural endeavors and creations that will endure in Chiba for years to come, Mr. Otsuka personally volunteered to work at the winery.
As a result, the Chiba City Wine Project kicked off in 2024.
Aiming to Become a Wine-Producing Region That Lasts 100 Years
The defining characteristic of "Chiba Winery" is that it is not merely a place for winemaking, but a project driven by the desire to create a space where people can experience the landscape and culture and enjoy them together by working right from the vineyards in Chiba City.
Wine is a special beverage that has long been cherished throughout the world and deeply connected to local food cultures and tourism.
Chiba is surrounded by the sea on three sides and is a wonderful land blessed with abundant nature. Because it is a place where all kinds of ingredients—seafood, agricultural produce, and livestock products—are gathered, being able to savor local wine alongside these bounties of Chiba itself fosters the local culture.
Grapevines have long lifespans of 100 and sometimes even 200 years, so this initiative is not meant to end in a single generation, but is carried out on the premise of being passed down to the next generation.
By growing grapes in this fertile land and generating local communities and employment, they hope to contribute to Chiba's future.
"Chiba Winery" envisions a future as a "wine-producing region that lasts 100 years," where wine born from its grapes matures alongside Chiba's food culture and connects people to one another.
Incidentally, they share that one of their dreams is to grow into a winery representing Chiba that celebrates its millennium in 100 years, on the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Chiba government.
The Chiba City Wine Project is not driven by a mere impulse to jump on winemaking trends, but is a truly grounded project.
Grapes Grown in Chiba City, Wine Brewed in Chiba City
The goal of the Chiba City Wine Project is to craft wine vinified in Chiba City using grapes harvested in Chiba City.
However, there are very few vineyards in Chiba City, and wine grapes in particular have hardly ever existed there.
Therefore, in the spring of 2024, they cleared land for their own vineyard in Shimoda-cho, Wakaba Ward, Chiba City.
Selecting European varieties (Vitis vinifera), they planted around 300 grapevines.
The training method used is an overhead trellis system called the single-spur cordon overhead trellis (Ichimonji Tankyo Shitateru), ingeniously designed so that rain shelters can be installed above the trellises.
Even in rainy Chiba, this suppresses the risk of disease outbreaks and makes it possible to reduce the frequency of pesticide spraying.
Here are the varieties being cultivated:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Sangiovese
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
However, in their first year, they faced the difficulties of cultivating these European varieties in Chiba City, suffering from diseases such as black rot and downy mildew, as well as feeding damage from scarab beetles and moth larvae.
Around June, they encountered a crisis that threatened the very survival of the vineyard; however, through painstaking efforts, they made it through the summer and were able to prepare the vines for maturation in the coming years.
The winery plans to expand the vineyard by 30 ares in 2025 and aims for a full-scale grape harvest in the autumn of 2026.
At the same time, winery construction is also underway within Tomio Village in Takashina-cho.
Preparations are being made for full-scale operations starting in the spring of 2025, and starting that autumn, they plan to accept grapes from wine grape growers across Chiba Prefecture—Yachimata, Sakura, and Kashiwa—to begin brewing.
About the Rewards
A variety of return gifts are prepared for those who support this project.
Regarding the use of the funds raised, they will be allocated toward development costs for the second vineyard to be expanded in 2025, the purchase of saplings, and the acquisition of agricultural supplies for vineyard management.
Support the Birth of a New Winery!
The Chiba City Wine Project is also supported by colleagues including Shuichi Ogura, Representative Director of IMADEYA Inc., SAWA WINES, Funakoshi Winery, Funabashi COQ WINERY, and Choshi Winery Zako Manzo Shoten.
While confronting challenges, the members of the Chiba City Wine Project are striving hard to build a new culture.
Why not lend your support to the birth of Chiba City's first winery?
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