Interview with Mr. Shigeki KIDA – Owner of Lumiere Winery Japan

Lumiere Winery is a family-owned and operated boutique winery located in Yamanashi prefecture in Japan, the famous wine and fruit producing region. We speak to the owner and 5th CEO of Lumiere Winery, Mr. Shigeki KIDA.

What makes your winery special?

“Lumiere Winery Japan is one of the oldest wineries in Japan, established in 1885, over 130 years of history.

We have the valuable stone tank ‘Ishigura’

‘Ishigura wine’ is fermented in the ‘Ishigura Stone Tank’ made of granite stone, which is rare in the world today, constructed in 1901 as Japan’s first European-style horizontal underground fermenter. The ‘Ishigura stone tank’ is still active today, we make red wine by this tank once a year from Muscat Bailey A, a unique Japanese grape variety.

In our own vineyards, we apply the ‘no-tillage, with wild grass viticulture’ to grow good grapes as naturally as possible.

From ‘Koshu’, a grape variety unique to Japan, we produce Japanese wine and Japanese sparkling wine that make the most of the local climate and features.

We produce various types of wine that make the most of Koshu grapes, such as orange wine, which is made from the whole bunch of Koshu by MC method, and also we produce Koshu orange sparkling wine by MC method and traditional Champagne methods — Orange sparkling wine producers are still few in the world.”

How do you see the future of sparkling wine in Japan?

“Currently, sparkling wine demand is getting higher and higher so our production capacity is not keeping up enough. We reckon that the demand will grow more and more.

For toasts, for celebrations, for gifts, for drinking it chilled in summer.

Koshu grapes are suitable for sparkling wine.

We expect the demand for Japanese wine (sparkling wine) will increase the more as it pairs well with various dishes — Seafoods, Japanese cuisine, also Asian foods, and spicy foods.”

What is your favourite food pairing with one of your sparkling wines?

“Sparkling wines made from Koshu fermented and aged in barrels for a long period of time are unique. It pairs well with seafoods, duck, mussels, and tempura, also with chocolate, smoked chicken, salmon, cheese and bacon. Personally, I like to enjoy with light foods such as nuts with the scent of barrel-aged Koshu and the smooth bubbles of secondary fermentation in the bottle..”

Where’s the most memorable place you’ve enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?

“When we visited the Glass of Bubby award ceremony from Japan.”