By JIN NAGANUMA/ Staff Writer
August 12, 2021 at 07:00 JST
Shirayuri Winery Co. President Takao Uchida, right, and Lumiere Co. President Shigeki Kida at a news conference in Koshu, Yamanashi Prefecture, on July 9 after their wines won the Platinum medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards (Jin Naganuma)
KOSHU, Yamanashi Prefecture--This central Japan prefecture is now firmly established on the world map of wine making after two products won the second-best Platinum medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
Koshu-based Shirayuri Winery Co.’s L’Orient Katsunuma Koshu 2019 and Lumiere Hikari Barrel Fermented Koshu 2018, produced by Lumiere Co. operating in Fuefuki, also in Yamanashi Prefecture, were made solely from locally grown Koshu grapes.
Both white wines were selected for the prize from about 18,000 entries from 56 countries this year. The Decanter World Wine Awards, organized by a British wine magazine, is said to be the world’s most prestigious wine competition.
Platinum wines are selected from Gold medal winners that require at least 95 points out of 100. This year, 179 wines, or 1 percent of all entries, received the honor. Of them, only three wines were from Asia.
Koshu-based Grace Wine Co. and Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery in Kai, also in Yamanashi Prefecture, are the only Japanese wine producers to have previously won the Platinum medal.
L’Orient Katsunuma Koshu was brewed together with grape lees to bring out a citrusy aroma and savory grape flavor.
“The fact that our typical wine was praised overseas means all Koshu wines were acknowledged,” Shirayuri Winery President Takao Uchida said at a July 9 news conference, two days after the awards were announced.
To produce Hikari Barrel Fermented Koshu, Lumiere grew grapes with minimum use of pesticides in its vineyards and brewed and fermented them in barrels to achieve a strong aroma and rich flavor.
“We have shown the true worth and potential of wineries in Yamanashi Prefecture,” Shigeki Kida, the company president, said, adding that he hopes the award will lead to increased export of Koshu wines to Europe and Asia.
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