The Viticulture Edge

As an importer, how is Japanese wine received in the US?What are some of the challenges you see with the Japanese wine industry from the outside looking in?In this episode we speak with Dennis Murphy of Two Cats Imports and Sunflower Sake in Portland, Oregon. Two Cats Imports focuses on wines from Japanese producers committed to the ethos and essence of their fruit, giving each wine its own unique voice. Many of the wines in their portfolio come from grapes that are uncommon in the wider wine world, such as hybrids like Delaware and Muscat Bailey A and even table grapes like Kyoho. Despite these unfamiliar grapes, the wines are distinctly and uniquely Japanese. During our conversation we cover a range of topics, such as what makes Japanese wine unique, the perception of Japanese wine abroad, challenges facing the Japanese wine industry as it grows and expands abroad, and the hurdles of starting an import business. This episode features the Nora Kura Rouge, a natural red wine from Hakodate in southern Hokkaido, Japan’s northern most major island. Ken and Kazuko Sasaki started the winery in 2011 after studying winemaking at the University of Burgundy and working with producers throughout France focusing on low intervention wine-making. Nora Kura continues that low-intervention approach by growing their vines without industrial fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides and encouraging soil health and biodiversity in the vineyard. Their small operation produces about 13,000 bottles a year from sourced fruit and their estate vineyards of primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.Follow Dennis Murphy on Instagram@isomaltpdxFollow Two Cats Imports on Instagram@twocatsimportsFollow Nora Kura on Instagram@nora___kuraYour questions and comments are appreciated and help us guide and improve the show! Also, if you think you’d make a good guest on the show, let us know! Feel free to reach us on Spotify, on Instagram (@the_viticulture_edge_podcast), or email us at [email protected] you like this show please consider rating it or telling a friend about it! Every additional listen and like helps us share the unique stories of these underrepresented wine regions with the world. A big thanks to @chigita_yusuke for the post production on our episodes.

​日本人としてカナダで暮らし、働く中で得た最大の学びとは？​海外で暮らしたい人へのアドバイスは？今回のエピソードでは、カナダ・ブリティッシュコロンビア州オカナガンバレー、ケロウナにある Spearhead Winery で働く Saori Wakiyama にお話を伺いました。Saori さんはカナダへ渡り、ケロウナの美しい景色、温かい人々、そして素晴らしい夏に魅了されます。日本に住んでいた頃に初めてワインを飲み、その味に惹かれたことをきっかけに、ワインへの興味を深めていきました。ケロウナで数多くのワイナリーに囲まれて暮らす中で、「ワイナリーで働いてみたい」という思いが強くなり、番組でもおなじみの Jaime Paquin さんの紹介を通じて、Spearhead Winery で働き始めました。今回の対談では、ワイナリーで働く日々、日本人として海外で暮らす中で直面した挑戦、そしてそこから得た大きな学びについて語っていただいています。実はこのエピソード、2025年夏に収録されたものです！中々リリースが出来なかったです！また今回、Saori さんがお気に入りのワインとして紹介してくれたのは、Spearhead Winery の Cuvée Pinot Noir。複数の畑から選ばれた樽をブレンドして造られるワインで、ヴィンテージごとにブレンド内容が異なるため、味わいにも個性が表れます。日本で Spearhead Winery のワインを購入するにはHeavenly Vines海外での購入はこちらWine SearcherSaori さんのInstagram@saorikw22番組へのご質問やコメントもぜひお寄せください！皆さんからの声が、番組をより良くする大きな力になります。また、「自分もゲストに向いているかも？」と思った方もぜひお気軽にご連絡ください。Spotify、Instagram（@the_viticulture_edge_podcast）、またはメール（[email protected]）でお待ちしています。この番組を気に入っていただけたら、ぜひ評価やシェアをお願いします！皆さんの一つひとつの再生や応援が、まだ広く知られていない魅力的なワイン産地の物語を世界へ届ける力になります。

In this episode we interview Scott McGregor, winemaker at Lakeview Wine Co., and Rob Power, winemaker at Creekside Estate Winery. Based in Niagara, Ontario, Lakeview Wine Co. and Creekside Estate Winery are two wineries under the same ownership but of different scale and different varietal focus. These varietal differences are influenced by Niagara’s diverse growing conditions facilitated by glacial tilled soils, the Great Lakes, and the Niagara escarpment. Everything from Riesling and Chardonnay, grapes with refreshing elegance, to bolder grapes such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon can be found in Niagara. As veterans of the Niagara wine scene we discuss with Scott and Rob how the industry and Niagara has changed over the past 30 years and the how the stories we tell ourselves influence our perception of “good”. Small-batch isn’t necessarily always better, what Niagara was 30 years ago is not what it is today, and Canada isn’t igloos and kayaks.In this episode we discussed different wines from both producers, including the Lakeview Wine Co. Fume Blanc and the Creekside Winery Blanc de Blanc traditional method sparkling. We’d love for you to enjoy these and other wines from these producers. As a special offer for podcast listeners, get 10% off when you purchase Lakeview Wine Co. and Creekside Estate Winery wines from Heavenly Vines. Use the code CreekLake10 at checkout!Find wines from Lakeview Wine Co. and Creekside Winery on Heavenly Vines:​Lakeview Wine Co.​Creekside Estate WineryFollow Lakeview Wine Co. on Instagram:@lakeviewwinecoFollow Creekside Winery on Instagram:@creeksidewineYour questions and comments are appreciated and help us guide and improve the show! Also, if you think you’d make a good guest on the show, let us know! Feel free to reach us on Spotify, on Instagram (@the_viticulture_edge_podcast), or email us at [email protected] you like this show please consider rating it or telling a friend about it! Every additional listen and like helps us share the unique stories of these underrepresented wine regions with the world.

​80年以上前、日本でワイナリーはどのように始まったのでしょうか？​そして、ワイン造りは80年前から今日まで、どのように進化してきたのでしょうか？今回のエピソードでは、東京の北、埼玉県の山々に囲まれた秩父ワインを訪ねました。秩父ワインの歴史は1940年以前にさかのぼります。創業者である浅見源作は、まだ日本でワインを飲む文化が一般的ではなく、ワインを保存するための容器も一升瓶（1.7リットルの日本酒瓶）しかなかった時代に、秩父ワインを立ち上げました。現在、その志と伝統は、ディレクター兼ソムリエの村田道子さんと、5代目当主でありヘッドワインメーカーの島田昇さんによって受け継がれています。お二人は、曾祖父である浅見源作から続く、世代を超えたワイン造りの系譜を守り続けています。村田道子さんとの対談では、曾祖父のエピソード、ワイン造りの家庭で育った幼少期の思い出、そして時代とともに変化してきた秩父ワインの醸造について、貴重なお話を伺いました。このエピソードでは、「唐沢メルロー」を一緒に味わいました。このワインは、樹齢25年のメルローが植えられた自社畑のブドウから造られています。畑を造成する際には、近隣の武甲山から石をトラックで運び込み、排水性やミネラルバランスを高めるために土壌に埋め込むという、非常に手間のかかる工程が行われました。この一本には、秩父ワイン一家のワイン造りへの深いこだわりが表れています。秩父ワインの最新情報はこちらからご覧いただけます：Instagram@chichibuwinegensaku公式ウェブサイトwww.chichibuwine.co.jpWine Searcher（お近くでの取り扱い情報）https://www.wine-searcher.com/merchant/154077-chichibu-wineご質問やご感想は大歓迎です。皆さまの声が番組の改善につながります。また、「ぜひ出演してみたい」という方も、ぜひご連絡ください。Spotify、Instagram（@the_viticulture_edge_podcast）、またはメール（[email protected]）でお気軽にどうぞ。

​How do non-Japanese drinkers feel about Japanese wine?​For someone starting out with Japanese wine, where should they start?In this episode we visited 3Grapes near Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, a local experience space focusing on Japanese wine introduction and education to non-Japanese speakers. Anzu Kojima, founder of 3Grapes, and Alex Kellerhals, wine specialist at 3Grapes, share their discovery of Japanese wine, how the business got started, and the importance of curation with the experiences they provide and when selecting wines in an emerging wine region.In this episode we feature Hinoe Winery’s “Amber”, a skin-contact wine made from the Koshu white wine grape that Japan has claimed as one of its signature grapes. Located in land-locked Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo, Hinoe Winery is a new winery with origins as a vegetable and shiitake mushroom farm. The tree rings on their wine labels pay homage to their shiitake mushroom growing roots, which they still grow on cut logs from the forest.Follow 3Grapes on Instagram:@3grapes_tokyoFollow Hinoe Winery on Instagram:@hinoewineryFind Hinoe Winery wines in Japan at 3Grapes or on the Hinoe Winery website. Your questions and comments are appreciated and help us guide and improve the show! Also, if you think you’d make a good guest on the show, let us know! Feel free to reach us on Spotify, on Instagram (@the_viticulture_edge_podcast), or email us at [email protected].