Words + photos by Al Robertson, Sonny Hobart
@alsmerlot @sonny.hobart
Five years ago on a quiet Adelaide autumn night, I was lucky enough to serve an excited Japanese man called Yoichiro. He loved his classic Negroni and was impressed with a glass of Basket Range Wine ‘Backstroke’ Cabernet Pinot blend. Even without language, his passion and palate for well-made drinks was instantly apparent. We bonded through smiles, and photos, and became Facebook friends. Since then, Yoichiro has opened Pourpier (@pourpier_naturalwine), a destination natural wine restaurant in snowy Yamagata, wine country, about three hours north of Tokyo.
Being hosted at Pourpier was memorable. Raw vegetables with sulphur-free and drastically clean local white wines from Takeda Winery, wild boar spaghetti with affordable vintage Cru Beaujolais, passionate staff and condensation on the windows as it gently snowed outside. ‘Unicorn wines’ at reasonable prices. The hospitality was so gracious, and warm. Yoichiro and his wife Marie also shared with me their favourite local spots; Ramen joints, coffee spots, soba noodle huts on the mountain, their favourite vegetable grower, a particularly hot onsen (natural hot spa) and local wineries. What really made an impression was how the locals embraced visitors and displayed respect for hospitality workers.
Grape Republic (@graperepublicinc) is the winery that opened my mind to different Japanese wine styles. Winemaker Haru introduced me to some hybrid grape varietals like Muscat Bailey A. Bred in the 1920s in Japan by Kawakami Zenbai, this hybrid grape is thick-skinned and more resistant to snow and frost when it needs to be, three months of the year. The wines smell like candy but finish dry. Slippers are required to enter the spotless winery. Hard work in the winery relinquishes the need for intervention. These wines are available in Australia currently – we’ve been loving pouring them at Sonny Hobart (@sonny.hobart) and sharing Haru’s story.
Grape Republic (@graperepublicinc) is the winery that opened my mind to different Japanese wine styles. Winemaker Haru introduced me to some hybrid grape varietals like Muscat Bailey A. Bred in the 1920s in Japan by Kawakami Zenbai, this hybrid grape is thick-skinned and more resistant to snow and frost when it needs to be, three months of the year.
The most impressive retail wine shop I’ve ever seen is also in Yamagata. Gempachi’s range and value are impossible to comprehend. The lack of a wine tax in Japan promotes drinking higher quality wine and is something Australia could really do with. Yoichiro, Haru, their partners and I tried as many great wines as we could. Wrapping the mind and tongue around Grand Cru Champagne or aged Barolo for the equivalent of $60AUD really did a doozy on me. The value also trickles up through to excellent wine list prices in venues.
One example is the powerfully vibey Izakaya Hyakushiki in Fukuoka, southern Japan. High-quality ocean food cooked over coals, vivacious staff, flowing sake and beer. The ability to order Philippe Pacalet Burgundy for less than $90AUD on the list pushes quality over quantity.
There are so many incredible opportunities for memorable meals and drinking experiences all over the country due to the work ethic and high standards of Japanese culture. Being open to the itinerary written by my two Japanese wine friends gave me the freedom to enjoy the smaller cities. The venues are inclusive and hospitable if you’re prepared and respectful. I wanted the listed venues in this article to be relatively easy to find and accessible, unlike some of the fine dining destinations or the myriad of places to visit in Tokyo. I’m told that even well-connected locals have trouble booking the best sushi restaurants in Japan.
One venue that requires a booking but is relaxed and comforting is Osaka’s favourite okonomiyaki venue Pasania. This is another natural wine haven where Australian minimal intervention wines are popular. Seeing the respect the brother and sister owner-operators have for Australian producers like BK Wines, Joshua Cooper, Jauma, etc, is a wonderful feeling of connection.
Yoichiro and I parted ways in Sendai at Tambourin (@wine_stand_tambourin). Prince’s Welcome To America was spinning on vinyl as we entered the tiny square-shaped bar with one bartender slash DJ playing. A personal heaven for wine and music lovers.
Hospitality can take you a long way. Bring home those experiences and lots of vinyl!