Shimokita wine, born in northernmost Honshu
The exquisite Shimokita wine was born in Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture. The red wine offers just the right weight with soft acidity, and the white wine has a fragrant fruity taste, making both quite popular. Shimokita wine is made by San Mamoru Winery.
The grapes used for Sun Mamoru Winery’s Shimokita wine is grown in Shimokita. The grapes come from MK Vineyard located about two kilometers from the winery. Shimokita wine is produced 100% domestically.
Success achieved through repetitive trial and error
Most of the grapes used for wine are cultivated regions within the latitude range of north 30 to 50 degrees. At 41 degrees, Shimokita fits right in the middle of this range, commonly referred to as the wine belt. Unlike France or Germany, Japan has a lot of rain. However, Shimokita area does not have much rain during the rain season, so it can be said that within Japan, this area is the best land to cultivate wine. However, the biggest enemy is the snow. In an effort to address issues like the snow, the winery has been working closely with Dr. Tomio Shimura, an authority on wine grape cultivation since 1996.
In 2006, after 10 years of trial and error, their efforts started to come to fruition when they successfully used the grapes grown by MK Vineyard to create Shimokita wine. Of course, they continue their efforts to improve and grow. They nurture the soil, and carefully select grapes cultivated using minimal pesticides while controlling the size of the harvest, all to create Shimokita Wine that can be enjoyed with peace of mind.
Color and Taste of Pinot Noir
Sun Mamoru Winery is famous for Pinot Noir wine. Pinot Noir grapes are a variety of wine grapes that grows in Burgundy, France, and it produces a red wine that has a beautiful ruby color. After touring the Pinot Noir vineyards, we were able to taste the wine. The first thing Nakata commented on was the “color” of the Pinot Noir wine. The color is so dense that you cannot see the other side. “Pinot Noir from the north doesn’t have such a strong color.” we were told. “The clay soil is good. That’s probably why we get this color. ” the president commented. When you take a sip, refreshing acidity spreads throughout your mouth. They say that their Pinot Noir wine is so popular that they sell out soon after it is released. Shimokita wine is a 100% domestic wine created from the passion of the growers.
