The Hokkaido food and tourism web media "TripEat Hokkaido" will hold special dinners in January and February where you can enjoy Hokkaido wines and cuisine!
Its name is the "Sapporo Night View Restaurants × Hokkaido Wine Marriage Fair"!
Among the events, the "Dinner Fair" and "Marriage × Talk Show One-Night-Only Special Dinner" are must-sees for Japanese wine lovers. Let's take a look at the details.
Enjoy Dishes Made with Fresh Hokkaido Ingredients and 10 Hard-to-Find Hokkaido Wines!
At the "Dinner Fair," you can enjoy dishes that make generous use of fresh Hokkaido ingredients alongside 10 varieties of hard-to-find Hokkaido wines.
Moreover, this fair is a luxurious experience offering double pairings, where two types of wine are paired with a single dish.
Take a look at the wine lineup served at this dinner!
Are they not 10 gems of Hokkaido wine that Japanese wine fans covet?
The wines this time were selected by food & wine journalist Miyuki Katori.
Ms. Katori speaks about the appeal of the dinner fair as follows:
First, the pairing that kicks off the course.
For the amuse-bouche, such as deep-fried pond smelt served with a lemony sauce, we pair the sparkling "Regent Brut 2022" (Camel Farm Winery) with its aromas of sweet fruit, alongside the yuzu-flavored "Hatsuyuki Sparkling 2022" (NIKI Hills Winery).
Next, for the cold appetizer using seasonal fresh seafood, a double pairing is offered with "Enishi 2022" (Domaine Bless), a red wine featuring aromas of red berries along with a pleasant lightness, and "White 2021 KWtN" (Kamihoro Wine), which has a rich, round, and plump flavor profile.
For the warm appetizer, a dish incorporating seasonal milt (matachi) is served.
You can enjoy pairing it with "Tap-Kop Blanc Z 2020" (KONDO Vineyard), with its white truffle flavor, and "Kurisawa Blanc 2022" (Nakazawa Vineyard), a substantial wine with rose aromas.
The double pairing of Tap-Kop Blanc and Kurisawa Blanc is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
For the main fish course, enjoy the refreshing, easy-drinking red wine "L’assemblage Rouge 2022" (Towa Hokuto Vineyard) and the juicy, well-balanced red wine "Nakai Rouge 2021" (Sapporo Fujino Winery). For the meat course featuring Shiranuka Ezo venison, you can enjoy a double pairing of "Mont Rouge 2021" (Domaine Mont), with its fruitiness, umami, and rich, fine texture, along with "Nanatsumori Pinot Noir 2021" (Domaine Takahiko), which possesses dashi-like nuances.
Afterward, dessert, coffee, and mignardises are served.
■ Dinner Fair Overview ■
＜Dates＞ January 11 (Thu)–13 (Sat), 18 (Thu)–20 (Sat), 25 (Thu)–27 (Sat), and February 1 (Thu)–3 (Sat), 2024 (Reservations may not be available on certain dates due to private bookings. Please check with each restaurant for details.)
＜Prices＞ (All prices per person)
・Nouvelle Pousse Okurayama (1274 Miyanomori, Chuo-ku, Sapporo): 22,000 yen (Private booking on January 19)
・THE JEWELS (1956 Kitanosawa, Minami-ku, Sapporo) and THE GARDEN SAPPORO HOKKAIDO GRILLE (Odori Nishi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo): 20,000 yen.
(THE JEWELS may be closed if the ropeway is suspended due to weather.)
＜Capacity＞ 6 guests per day at each restaurant
With a Talk by Takahiko Soga! "Marriage × Talk Show One-Night-Only Special Dinner"
Another event not to be missed is the "Marriage × Talk Show One-Night-Only Special Dinner," which features a talk by Takahiko Soga of "Domaine Takahiko," a producer currently garnering attention not only domestically but also internationally, speaking in person about wine and winemaking.
Here, you can enjoy 10 wines, including 5 Hokkaido wines such as Mr. Soga's wines, paired with a 6-course "Hokkaido Cuisine" menu made with Hokkaido ingredients.
At the special dinner, where you can also enjoy a talk by Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko, we offer three gem wines from Domaine Takahiko, two wines from KONDO Vineyard and Winebatake Uramoto, and five wines from overseas.
For the amuse-bouche, we serve "nakimushi NV" (Winebatake Uramoto), which features aromas of orange peel and apple honey, as well as umami. For the cold appetizer, we pair "Yoichi-Nobori Nakai Blanc 2022" (Domaine Takahiko), which has a floral aroma and a light, expansive profile; and for the warm appetizer, "Tap-Kop Blanc 2021" (KONDO Vineyard), which offers a solid taste supported by robust acidity.
For the fish dish, we pair "Nanatsumori Blanc de Noir 2021" (Domaine Takahiko), where a rich acidity can be felt amidst a sweetness like quince and honey; and for the meat dish, "Nanatsumori Pinot Noir 2021", considered one of the great vintages among Domaine Takahiko's wines.
Alongside these five wines, overseas wines will also be served for each course. By comparing them with Hokkaido wines, you will surely appreciate the differences with overseas wines, the harmony between food and wine, and the profound capability of Hokkaido wine.
■ Marriage × Talk Show One-Night-Only Special Dinner Overview ■
＜Date＞ Friday, January 19
＜Venue＞ Nouvelle Pousse Okurayama
＜Price＞ 30,000 yen per person
＜Capacity＞ 50 guests
A complimentary bus back to central Sapporo is also available after the event. Special accommodation plans are also offered.
Click here for how to apply
Applications for both the Dinner Fair and the Special Dinner are currently being accepted on TripEat's official LINE account.
Both events are extremely rare opportunities.
For wine lovers, it could certainly be said that these dinners are well worth taking a flight to attend.
Seating is limited for all events.
If you are interested, please be sure to hurry.
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