Japan: The Land of the Rising Sparkling Wines

You would be forgiven for initially thinking about technology when someone mentions Japan, but this 3,000 km long island also has many other talents to share with the world.

” Japan is made up of a total of 6,852 islands and currently holds a population of 126.8 million”

For lovers of cuisine, the word that comes to mind is sushi which has fans across the globe and rightly so. There are different styles of sushi including maki, temaki, uramaki, sashimi, and nigiri. Most of the time and certainly to cater to western preferences, we will see sushi combining rice with fish or vegetarian alternatives.

Sushi is readily available in the UK from supermarkets with mini ‘lunchtime option’ trays to restaurants dedicated solely to fine Japanese cuisine such as You Me Sushi.

“Priced at $1,978, Angelito Araneta Jr’s five-piece special nigiri roll is officially the most expensive sushi in the world, according to Guinness World Records.” moneyinc.com

What about sparkling wine from Japan?

Yes, you can enjoy sparkling wine from Japan and you will certainly be in for a treat when you explore their wines.

Most people are pleasantly surprised when they hear that countries like Japan, India, China and Korea make wine and thanks to the Glass of Bubbly Awards we can also enlighten people that wines from these countries can compete alongside names such as Champagne, Prosecco and Cava.

Japan gains a trophy at the 2019 Glass of Bubbly Awards

Lumiere Sparkling Wine

“Established in 1885, Lumiere is a family-owned winery continuously operating for 130 years in Yamanashi prefecture where is the most famous and historical region for Japan’s wine production. We have challenged and succeeded in making high quality wines.
Since 1967, our wines have won medals in European top competitions. The medal winning wines are showcased in our restaurant and shop. We are also working to promote wine and dine culture by offering french style dining which uses local seasonal ingredients.” https://www.lumiere.jp/en/

 

Lumiere Sparkling Wine: “Punchy on the nose. Dry citrus, creamy honey and hay. Flavours are very clean compared to the aromas. There’s a distant citrus, mineral and dare I say a faint sake resemblance.”

 

Lumiere Delaware Sparkling Wine: “A most engaging nose to this Japanese Sparkling Wine. Once again, similar to my very first tasting of this label I’ve got soft white pears, yellow floral and banana candy. Flavours are soft and complex. Green fruits (start fruit notably), white floral, tropical and a touch of dried lemon slices and pastry.”

 

How does Japan Sparkling Wine pair with sushi?

Lumiere Sparkling Wine & Sushi: “The wine is a great soft palate cleanser enabling after an initial dry / mineral burst the savoury flavours of the sushi to shine. A clean and fresh pairing.”

Lumiere Delaware Sparkling Wine & Sushi: “The quality and magnificent flavours from the Delaware sparkling wine shine through in the pairing. You get a touch of savoury from the sushi, but it’s the moreish fruits from the wine that take command.”