Global launch for Koshu wines

Yesterday marked the global launch of Koshu of Japan (KOJ), an organisation established last summer to promote the Koshu grape variety and Yamanashi wine growing region.

Held at London’s Umu Japanese restaurant, 15 producers presented their wines to a Who’s Who of the UK wine press including Michael Broadbent MW and Jancis Robinson MW.

The organisation, which was founded to share winemaking expertise and promote Koshu wines worldwide, will hold its first major international tasting tomorrow at London’s Imagination Gallery.

The Koshu grape is a vitis vinifera white varietal indigenous to Japan, producing delicate wines with ripe citrus-fruit flavours, high acidity and low alcohol.

Umu’s head chef Ichiro Kubota produced a menu to match the wines at the lunchtime launch, which included black beans with gold leaf; prawns simmered in bonito stock; tuna and squid sashimi; grilled sea bream and clear monkfish soup.

For more information on Koshu of Japan contact Lynne Sherriff MW, who is acting as a consultant to the new body.

Email: lynne@koshuofjapan.co.uk or call +44 (0) 7802 255050

Patrick Schmitt, 14.01.2010