GUBI GUBI

Online store for Japanese natural wines. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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21/09/2023

“Kumo no Jikan 2021” from Coco Farm Winery was a favorite at the Japanese craft exhibition MONO Japan. The aroma of mangosteen-like tropical fruits and lactic nuances were surprisingly different from European Sauvignon Blanc. As a first step to learn about Japanese wines, how about comparing it with wines you are used to drinking?

Kumo no Jikan 2021 COCOROMI series　€49,00
COCO FARM & WINERY Ashikaga, Tochigi

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc 75%, Gewürztraminer 23%, Pinot Gris 2% (All from Hokkaido) Type: White Style: Dry, light-bodied Colour: Medium gold Alcohol: 12.5% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: 30 ppm  Filtered: No Serving temperature: 7-10°C Production: 2,200 bottles Please store in a cool, dark place.
Tasting notes Aroma of grapefruit, yellow peach, mangosteen, eucalyptus, jasmine, lemongrass and yoghurt. Soft palate with gunflint and mineral nuances. Fresh fruitiness, crisp acidity. Pleasant bitterness in aftertaste.

Food pairing Chicken breast inner fillet and coriander salad, Caprese of peach and dry-cured ham, Moules Marinières, seafood fritter, grilled Pacific saury, Japanese Mille-Feuille hot pot, meatballs in sweet and sour sauce, white fish carpaccio with dill, Sushi, Tempura, roquette and cottage cheese salad, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto

Winemaking Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris from Yoichi, Hokkaido, were vinified in two ways: first, only free-run must was placed in stainless steel tanks and fermented with wild yeasts for approximately three weeks, keeping the liquid temperature below 23°C. Second, de-stemmed grapes were placed in tanks and gently pressed after overnight skin contact. The temperature of the must was kept below 19°C to preserve the aromas of the grapes and the wine was fermented with wild yeasts for about one month. Some varieties were mixed fermented. After fermentation, the wine was matured in stainless steel tanks for approximately 5-6 months. The wine was then racked, blended and bottled unfiltered and unfined.

20/09/2023

Friends in The Hague! Cap-Wet, an online store focusing on Pet-Nat based in The Hague, now has Japanese wines available: Bonbons Colorés 2021 from Domaine tetta and Petillant Blanc 2022 from Domaine Nakajima. You can also pick them up at Spui. Please check out their online store. Thanks, Mick!

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18/09/2023

Light red wine made from Japanese indigenous grape at an affordable price. Enjoy!

HANAMUSUBI RED 2022　€23,00
Ito Farm Okazaki, Aichi

Grapes: Kyoho 85%, Merlot 10%, Yamabudou 5% Type: Red Style: Dry, light-bodied Colour: Pale ruby Alcohol: 12.5% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: 10 ppm  Filtered: Yes (coarse filter) Serving temperature: 7-10°C Production: 1,600 bottles 
Tasting notes Wild red berries, cherries, flowers and some herbaceous aroma can be found. A bit of bitterness in flavour reminds you of black tea or some herbal tea. A hint of cucurbits flavour makes it unique. Recommended to drink chilled. Enjoy the rich and changing flavours from the second day onwards.

Food pairing Chinese cuisine with thick sauce such as black bean paste and oyster sauce, Samgyeopsal, Mapo tofu, grilled eel with soy sauce based sauce and Japanese pepper powder, beef pastrami, simmered mackerel with soy sauce

Winemaking A wine with a rich grape flavour and concentrated Umami taste, made mainly from Kyoho, a typical Japanese table grape, as well as Merlot and Yamabudou. The vineyard is located in a corner of a quiet residential area in the northern part of Okazaki in Aichi, almost in the middle of Honshu island. In 2022, despite double the normal rainfall in July and two typhoons in September, the total number of sunshine hours during the entire grape growing season was about 80 hours above average. This resulted in good colouration and average sugar levels of Brix 22-24, and a record year for yields. The grapes were destemmed, crushed and macerated in stainless steel tanks for one week. After pressing, fermentation continued in stainless steel tanks for 10 days. The wine was then matured for 5 months in 225L and 110L old oak barrels before bottling. Only 10 ppm sulphite added at bottling. Filtered through a coarse filter (100 µm). No chaptalisation or acidification.

17/09/2023

When Japanese natural wine lovers hear "Pet-Nat," this is what they think of. Give it a try!

Petillant Blanc 2022　€34,00
Domaine Nakajima Tomi, Nagano
Grapes: Delaware (from Yamagata) Type: Sparkling Style: Dry, light-bodied Colour: Pale gold Alcohol: 11% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: No  Filtered: No Serving temperature: 5-8°C Production: 4,142 bottles 
Tasting notes Refreshing aroma of pineapple and sweet Watson pomelo. Crisp bubble with bitterness of citrus fruits such as lime and grapefruits. Pronounced acidity is well-balanced with calm melon flavour. Easy to drink. Before opening the bottle, chill the wine in the fridge standing for at least half a day and let the lees fall to the bottom of the bottle. After opening, wait for the wine to become cloudy before pouring, so that you can also taste the umami of the lees.

Food pairing Grilled fish with salt, Karaage, Samgyeopsal, Hui guo rou (Twice-cooked pork), Stir-fried pork in oyster sauce, corn with butter and green dried seaweed, Tarka dhal (Indian tempered lentils), sausage, charcuterie

Winemaking Delaware, originally from the USA and one of the popular table grapes in Japan, were dried in the shade for a few days to a few weeks, depending on the condition of the grapes. The flavour was concentrated and the ripe, sweet aroma was intensified. The rotten fruit was then carefully removed, lightly crushed with a self-made hand crusher and further moderately crushed with boots. Then the crushed grapes were pressed manually with a basket press over a period of half a day to one day, and then placed in a resin tank, where spontaneous fermentation began at room temperature and the alcoholic fermentation continued for approximately 10 days. As soon as it finished, it was bottled and the same grape juice was added at that time. About a month later, the fermentation finished and the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast remained in the bottle. No racking in order to allow the tastes of the lees to be enjoyed. No filtration, no additives.

14/09/2023

A recent event to unveil our new wines by new producers. Community vibes.

Photo by .m

13/09/2023

🍜We bet more than a few of you have already visited Fuku Ramen.

Their mission is simple: home-made ramen noodles, local ingredients, juicy sake. Japanese inspired chef Jakub’s menu at night and an a la carte ramen lunch every Sunday.

We are proud that they chose our Japanese natural wines as the first wines to be served in their restaurant. At Fuku, you can now enjoy the Ito Farm, Fujimaru Winery and Domaine Hase’s wines by the glass and bottle(Photo 7).

Please visit them to enjoy the marriage of their wonderful ramen and seafood dishes with Japanese natural wines!

📍Ingogostraat 14A, 1092HZ Amsterdam
🕖Thursday to Saturday 18:00-23:00 (reservations), Sunday 12:00-18:30 (walk-in & reservations)

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12/09/2023

🍂The weather is gradually getting cooler, the days are getting shorter, and we can sense that autumn will soon arrive.

The wine that is named after the word "autumn" is this "Cabernet Franc Automne 2020" from domaine tetta.

We recently opened and tasted it, and it was as delicious as ever. Please give it a try!

Cabernet Franc Automne 2020　€53,00
domaine tetta Niimi, Okayama

Grapes: Cabernet Franc Type: Red Style: Dry, medium-bodied Colour: Pale garnet Alcohol: 13% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: No Filtered: Yes (coarse filter) Serving temperature: 16-18°C Production: 665 bottles

Tasting notes Brown sugar, blackberries, confiture, oak barrel, firm acidity, and tannins

Food pairing Thick tomato sauce, smoked chicken or tofu, pastrami, pork chops, foie gras pâté, gyoza

Winemaking Late harvested Cabernet Franc from three-nine years old vines fermented with wild yeasts in stainless steel tanks without crushing. After eight months in three-year-old wooden barrels, the wine was filtered with a coarse filter (75µ) and bottled. No added sugar, acid, or fining. Named 'Automne' ('Autumn' in French), as it is reminiscent of the harvest season. A well-structured wine suitable for long-term ageing.

11/09/2023

The most popular wine at the recent tasting was this Pet-Nat by Domaine Murayama. Pet-Nat made from Japan's own grape "Kyoho," is really popular in Europe. If you have never had it, you should definitely give it a try!

121cm 2022　€30
Domaine Murayama Tomi, Nagano

Grapes: Kyoho 66%, Chardonnay 34% Type: Rosé sparkling Style: Dry, light-bodied Colour: Deep pink Alcohol: 10% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: No  Filtered: No Serving temperature: 5-8°C Production: 456 bottles

Tasting notes Cranberry, young melon and a bit of gunflint aroma can be found. Fruity and funky. Intense flavour of blood orange, strawberry and melon. Gentle acidity makes it easy to drink.

Food pairing Har gouw (steamed prawn dumplings), Thai fried fish cake, cod liver and radish in Ponzu, Sichuan-style Mapo Dofu, Thai stir-fried minced pork with Thai Basil, cold pasta salad with prawns and tomatoes, fresh spring roll

Winemaking The grapes from their own vineyard were destemmed manually and vinified in carbonic maceration for 5 days. After starting fermentation, the grapes were crushed by foot and fermented slowly with wild yeasts at low temperature for two weeks. Chardonnay, purchased from a farmer located nearby, was then pressed in whole bunches and combined to the Kyoho. After that unfermented grape juice was added (Süssreserve) and bottled. This is a Petillant Naturel containing nothing but grapes. For this year, the wine was made by blending a 2:1 ratio of Kyoho to Chardonnay. Immediately after release in February 2023, there was some light sweetness, just enough to make it swish on the tongue, but after a few months it became a dry petillant. The label is designed each year by winemaker Koki Murayama's daughter. The name of this vintage, '121 cm', is her height at the time he made the wine.

08/09/2023

🌞Are you ready for the weekend? It's supposed to get up to 31 degrees this Saturday and Sunday.

Domaine Nakajima's "Petillant Rosé 2022" is perfect for such hot weather. It has a refreshing aroma of blood orange, a fruity bitterness like pink grapefruit, and a pleasant fizz that will make you sip on it.

Petillant Rosé 2022 €32
Domaine Nakajima Tomi, Nagano

Grapes: Kyoho Type: Rosé sparkling Style: Dry, light-bodied Colour: Medium copper  Alcohol: 11% Wild yeast: Yes Any added sulphites: No  Filtered: No Serving temperature: 5-8°c Production: 7,218 bottles

Tasting notes Gunflint, funky, blood orange aroma. On the palate, flavour of pink grapefruits and some tropical fruits, crisp bubbles with pleasant acidity. Before opening the bottle, chill the wine in the fridge standing for at least half a day and let the lees fall to the bottom of the bottle. After opening, wait for the wine to become cloudy before pouring, so that you can also taste the umami of the lees.

Winemaking Kyoho grapes, purchased from farmers in Tomi where the winery is located, were dried in the shade for a few days to a few weeks, depending on the condition of the grapes. The flavour was concentrated and the ripe, sweet aroma was intensified. The rotten fruit was then carefully removed, lightly crushed with a self-made hand crusher and further moderately crushed with boots. Then the crushed grapes were pressed manually with a basket press over a period of half a day to one day, and then placed in a resin tank, where spontaneous fermentation began at room temperature and the alcoholic fermentation continued for approximately 10 days. As soon as it finished, it was bottled and the same grape juice was added at that time. About a month later, the fermentation finished and the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast remained in the bottle. No racking in order to allow the tastes of the lees to be enjoyed. No filtration, no additives.

07/09/2023

We really enjoyed FRIEND OF FRUITS last month. We knew many natural wine lovers would also like ciders and wild ales. This is exactly what FRIEND OF FRUITS is all about. Au jus, thank you so much for organizing the event and having us there. Thanks also to everyone who exhibited with us!

5th photo: Our 6 year old daughter drew a copy of the event poster.

Photo by .au.jus

06/09/2023

🇯🇵First Japanese Wine Class @ CAMERA JAPAN

CAMERA JAPAN, an event to introduce Japanese culture (film, music, dance, fashion, architecture, and Japanese food), will be held in Amsterdam on Saturday, September 30.

GUBI GUBI will hold its first Japanese wine class there. While tasting about 5 wines, participants will learn about the history of Japanese wine, climate and viticultural characteristics, the recent natural wine movement, and the future of Japanese wine in the form of a workshop.

We will answer the questions such as, "How long has wine been produced in Japan?"“Who is the father of Japanese wine?””How do they grow good grapes in a rainy and humid climate?”.

The date and time is Saturday, September 30, from 9:30 p.m., at LAB111 (Arie Biemondstraat 111, 1054 PD Amsterdam), and tickets can be purchased on the CAMERA JAPAN website. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Image by
Photo by

05/09/2023

Perfect plates by for serving Japanese appetizers. And the rice cracker recipe was inspired by .nl Thank you, our Japanse friends for making our tasting beautifully decorated!🇯🇵

Photo by .nl

05/09/2023

🔥New Release: GUBI GUBI Box “New Producers”

A special three-bottle box of wines from a new producer at an affordable price.

[Domaine Nakajima]
“Petillant Blanc 2022”
The Japanese Pet-Nat. Pineapple, sweet Watson pomelo, crisp bubble, bitterness of lime, grapefruits, well-balanced and Umami.

[Ito Farm]
“HANAMUSUBI RED 2022”
It accompanies Asian cuisine with a strong flavor. Wild red berries, cherries, flowers, herbaceous, a bit of bitterness, black tea, herbal tea and cucurbits.

[Domaine Murayama]
“121cm 2022”
121 cm is the height of the producer's daughter. Cranberry, young melon, a bit of gunflint, blood orange, strawberry, gentle acidity and funky.

Be sure to get yours at our online store, limited to 5 boxes!

04/09/2023

Thank you for coming to our new wine launch event yesterday! We were happy to share with you wines that we love.

We hope you also enjoyed our Japanese snacks. Thanks to .nl for the rice cracker inspiration and for letting us use their beautiful plates.

If you couldn't make it to the event, we hope you can feel the atmosphere through the photos and get and try some new wines from our online store. See you at the next event!

Photo by .nl

01/09/2023

📣New Arrivals: 8 New Wines from 6 Producers Now Available

[Domaine Nakajima]
“Petillant Blanc 2022” €34
The Japanese Pet-Nat. Pineapple, sweet Watson pomelo, crisp bubble, bitterness of lime, grapefruits, well-balanced and Umami.

“Petillant Rosé 2022” €32
A rosé you will want to drink again and again. Gunflint, funky, blood orange, pink grapefruits, tropical fruits, crisp bubbles with pleasant acidity and Umami.

[Ito Farm]
“HANAMUSUBI WHITE 2022” €23
Perfect marriage with sushi and sashimi. Chinese quince, stone fruits, kumquat, pleasant bitterness, some lactose and sweet flavour of peach.

“HANAMUSUBI RED 2022” €23
It accompanies Asian cuisine with a strong flavor. Wild red berries, cherries, flowers, herbaceous, a bit of bitterness, black tea, herbal tea and cucurbits.

[Domaine Hide]
“Sage V.V. 2019” €45
Rich flavor of old-vine Japanese grape. Crayon, liquorice, dried mushroom, soil, red berries aromas, gentle tannins, pleasant acidity, juicy feeling.

[COCO FARM & WINERY]
“OUR COCO PETILLANT 2022“ €32
GUBI GUBI fell in love at first sight. Peach, pear, white flower, biscuit, gentle carbonation, a bit of sweetness, soft acidity and Umami.

[Domaine Murayama]
“121cm 2022” €30
121 cm is the height of the producer's daughter. Cranberry, young melon, a bit of gunflint, blood orange, strawberry, gentle acidity and funky.

[Fujimaru Winery]
“Tabletop Daidai-iro 2022” €30
The Tokyo orange wine sold out the fastest last year. Pineapple, Ramune, flower, oriental melon, modest acidity, a bit of carbonation, citrus flavoured tea.

You will be able to try these new Japanese natural wines by the glass this Sunday, September 3. Please save the date now!

[Unveiling New Japanese Producers]
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

31/08/2023

🇯🇵A new Japanese natural wine by the glass event is coming up this Sunday, September 3. Please save the date now!

"HANAMUSUBI WHITE 2022" is made by up-and-coming producer Ito Farm. It is a perfect alternative to sake, which goes well with sushi and sashimi.

Here are the technical facts:

HANAMUSUBI WHITE 2022
Ito Farm
Okazaki, Aichi

Grapes: Kyoho 50%, 40% consists of Jasmine, Shinano Smile, Gorby and Sunny Dolce, Chardonnay 8%, Yamabudou 2%
Type: White
Style: Dry, medium-bodied
Colour: Pale copper
Alcohol: 11.5%
Any added sulphites: 10 ppm
Filtered: Yes (coarse filter)
Serving temperature: 7-10°C
Production: 1,900 bottles

Tasting notes
Aroma of Chinese quince and stone fruits. When the temperature rises, the aroma of kumquat can also be found. On the palate, pleasant bitterness and gentle flavour with some lactose. Sweet flavour of peach in aftertaste. For those who are concerned about bitterness, drink it at room temperature in a round glass to soften the bitterness.

Food pairing
Sashimi with Shiso (Japanese herb), seafood main dishes, Simmered mackerel with soy sauce and mirin, grilled Shishamo (capelin), Dutch oude kaas, Goya Champuru (stir-fried bitter melon with tofu and egg), prawn dumplings, monkfish liver with Ponzu sauce, creamy seafood such as sea urchin, oyster and milt.

Winemaking
A Wine made from various grape varieties such as Kyoho, Jasmine and Shinano Smile, which are typical Japanese table grape varieties. These grapes were destemmed, crushed and pressed. Then the must was fermented in stainless steel tanks for 2 weeks. The wine was racked and moved again to stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation was not intentionally carried out. The wine was then transferred to 225L and 110L old oak barrels and matured for 5 months. Only 10 ppm sulphite added at bottling. Filtered through a coarse filter (100 µm). No chaptalisation or acidification.

[Unveiling New Japanese Producers]
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

30/08/2023

🇯🇵A new Japanese natural wine by the glass event is coming up this Sunday, September 3. Please save the date now!

Here is the new wine you can try at the event. "Sage V.V. 2019" from Domaine Hide is made from Muscat Bailey A, a grape variety unique to Japan. It has a rich fruitiness and is very drinkable.

This should be tried by people who often drink natural wines. You will be surprised at how different it is from European wines. Here are the technical facts:

Sage V.V. 2019
Domaine Hide
Minami-Alps, Yamanashi

Grapes: Muscat Bailey A
Type: Red
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Pale ruby
Alcohol: 12%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: No
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 13-16°C
Production: 596 bottles

Tasting notes
Crayon, liquorice, dried mushroom, soil, red berries aromas. Gentle tannins and pleasant acidity give a juicy feeling. Complex aroma and flavour thanks to old vines and a long maturation in barrels. Recommended to drink slightly chilled.

Food pairing
Vegetable Chinese dishes such as stir-fried vegetables in Oyster sauce and Zha Cai pickles, Peking duck, Zuppa di lenticchie, roast beef with wasabi soy sauce, spaghetti Bolognese, mild Indian curry with beans.

Winemaking
Made from grapes grown on old vines, very rare for Muscat Bailey A, 58 years old. The altitude is 310 metres above sea level. The old vines yield less, but they taste better and the flavour deepens and the strength of the grapes increases with age. All grapes were harvested by hand in late September, crushed by foot (while wearing a sanitary jacket) with whole bunches in tanks, then matured in French oak barrels for two years and eight months. The wine was racked at the ebb tide of the full moon on 15 July 2022, which gave the wine an intense flavour. No sulphites added, unfiltered and unfined.

[Unveiling New Japanese Producers]
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

29/08/2023

🇯🇵A new Japanese natural wine by the glass event is coming up this Sunday, September 3. Please save the date now!

Here is the new wine you can try at the event. The Japanese orange wine "Tabletop Daidai-iro 2022" from Fujimaru Winery which sold out the fastest last year, is back.

It will be available in early September. Please come try it at the event! Here are the technical facts:

Tabletop Daidai-iro 2022
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Fujimaru Winery
Koto-ku, Tokyo

Grapes: Delaware (from Yamagata)
Type: Orange
Style: Dry, light-bodied
Colour: Pale amber
Alcohol: 11%
Any added sulphites: No
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 5-8°C
Production: 821 bottles

Tasting notes
The aroma of pineapple, Ramune soda drink, flower, oriental melon. Modest acidity with a bit of carbonation. Refreshing flavour of citrus flavoured tea. Recommended to drink well chilled. It can be enjoyed either as an early drink or with a little ageing.

Food pairing
Japanese cuisine with garlic and soy sauce such as Karaage and Gyoza, miso-marinated tofu, Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, Takoyaki, Japanese chicken dishes such as Yakitori, fish liver, Satay with spicy peanut sauce, goat cheese

Winemaking
Daidai-iro, made every year, with its characteristic rich aroma and bitter but pleasant mouthfeel, is expressed in this vintage by a blend of two different vinifications (the previous vintages were carbonic maceration only): one is de-stemmed and crushed, then pressed after a skin contact for 12 days with daily pigeage. The second is a semi-carbonic maceration, with the grapes selected thoroughly and partly crushed by hand in open tanks, with whole bunch grapes placed on top and sealed with a plastic sheet; after five days, the lid was opened, the grapes were crushed and fermented for five days, also with daily pigeage. Each wine was matured in stainless steel tanks and blended before bottling. No sulphites added.

[Unveiling New Japanese Producers]
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

28/08/2023

🇯🇵A new Japanese natural wine by the glass event is coming up this Sunday, September 3. Please save the date now!

Here is the new wine you can try at the event. "OUR COCO PETILLANT 2022" from COCO FARM & WINERY is a white sparkling wine that GUBI GUBI is proud to recommend.

Beautiful label you'll want to pick up, tastes that will wow you and it's not that expensive. It will be available in early September. Please come try it at the event! Here are the technical facts:

OUR COCO PETILLANT 2022
COCO FARM & WINERY
Ashikaga, Tochigi

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon 53%, Kerner 34%, Merlot 4%, Muscat Bailey A 4%, Barbera 2%, Koshu 1%, Cabernet Franc 1%, Petit Manseng 1%
Type: Sparkling
Style: Off-dry, light-bodied
Colour: Amber yellow
Alcohol: 11.5%
Wild yeast: Yes
Any added sulphites: No
Filtered: No
Serving temperature: 5-8°c
Production: 3,970 bottles

Tasting notes
Complex aroma of peach, pear, white flower and biscuit. Savouriness derived from lees can be found. The palate is light with gentle carbonation and a bit of sweetness. Rounded flavour with soft acidity and fresh fruit. Aftertaste of slight astringency and Umami from the lees. Chill the wine well, open it gently.

Food pairing
Marinated vegetable with citrus fruits, smoked salmon, charcoal-grilled shiitake mushroom, simmered bamboo shoots and wakame seaweed, steamed prawn dumpling, grilled seafood, Japanese hot pot, corn in butter sauce, Satay in spicy peanut sauce.

Winemaking
This petillant is vinified in méthode ancestrale and is characterised by lees, gentle bubbles and freshness. The destemmed grapes were carefully pressed over time and transferred to stainless steel tanks. The must was kept below 22°C and fermented with wild yeasts for about one and a half months. Then the tanks were cooled to stop fermentation when the balance between sweetness and acidity was right. The wine was matured in stainless steel tanks for approximately three months. The wine was then lightly racked and blended. Bottled unfined and unfiltered in February 2023.

[Unveiling New Japanese Producers]
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

25/08/2023

🍇New Producer “Domaine Nakajima”(Tomi, Nagano)

Domaine Nakajima is a winery founded by Mr. Yutaka Nakajima in 2014. His vineyards are located in Tomi, which is said to be ideal for growing wine grapes due to low rainfall and large temperature differences during the day.

Most of them have strong clay soil and steep south-facing slopes at an altitude of 850 metres, making it impossible for tractors to get inside, so most of the work is done by hand. The family, including his wife Michiru, work together.

Currently, the vineyards are mainly planted with European varieties such as Cabernet franc, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot, Chenin blanc, Savagnin and Pinot noir.

Yutaka says: "Grapes are strong plants. Only when they withstand various stresses and bear fruit can they become tasty wines. I want the grapes to endure a certain amount of insects, disease and drought to bring out the true potential of the grapes".

For this reason, no insecticides are used, insects on branches are removed by hand one by one and only fungicides permitted for organic cultivation are used. They try to take care to prepare in advance for the future so that everything is done with the minimum amount of pesticides required, the minimum amount of mowing required and the minimum amount of training required.

When Yutaka makes wine, he always thinks: "I don't make wine, I make good wine". That is the same feeling as when he cooks a meal or invites guests over for dinner, he wants to make it tastier and make the guests pleased.

For several years now, he has been gradually receiving more and more orders from abroad. He has the pleasure of seeing how his wines are received abroad.

Domaine Nakajima’s wines will be available for sale in early September, so stay tuned. And please come to the unveiling of the new producers scheduled for September 3.

Unveiling New Japanese Producers
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

24/08/2023

🍇New Producer “Ito Farm”(Okazaki, Aichi)

Ito Farm is a winery run by Mr Takashi Ito in Okazaki, Aichi. He started growing grapes in 2014 and has been making wine since 2019.

His vineyard is located in a corner of a quiet residential area in the northern part of Okazaki. It receives sunlight from sunrise to sunset, has wide openings for good ventilation and well-drained sandy-gravel soils. It is a very favourable environment for viticulture.

He grows a variety of grape varieties, including Kyoho Shine Muscat, Queen Nina and Muscat Bailey A, on approximately 1 ha of vineyards. Currently, wine varieties are being planted in a new 0.2 ha plot, with plans to increase the area under cultivation in the future.

The key to his viticulture, he believes, is yield limitation: 800 kg to 1 t per 0.1 ha is ideal, he says, an insight based on his own experiments.

He does not use herbicides and is also working on switching to the minimum number of pesticides allowed in grass growing organic farming and reducing the number of sprays. This is because he believes that whatever they are, insects and weeds in the fields have their own role to play.

Takashi aims to make wines that are fun to drink. He wants to make wines that go well with everyday Japanese food as daily wines, and wants people from all walks of life to drink them casually. He does not chaptalise and acidify the wines. Sulphites are also limited to a small amount at bottling.

In the Netherlands and Europe, he wants to challenge himself with the feeling that he can make such enjoyable wines from Japanese table grapes, and also to expand his connections through wine.

Ito Farm’s wines will be available for sale in early September, so stay tuned. And please come to the unveiling of the new producers scheduled for September 3.

Unveiling New Japanese Producers
🕑Sunday, September 3, 2pm-6pm
📍Weesperstraat 103, Amsterdam
👌🏻Free admission, no reservation required

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Amsterdam
Amsterdam Centrum

Website

http://gubi_gubi.nl/

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