GRAPE SHIP ~ Connecting Hope to the Next Generation through Natural Wine Production of Muscat of Alexandria - Page 2 of 2

The Meaning of Brewing with Muscat of Alexandria

GRAPE SHIP, which cultivates grapes and produces wine in the Funao area of Kurashiki City. I spoke with the representative director, Matsui Kazunori.

As demand shifts from Muscat of Alexandria to Shine Muscat, please tell us about your commitment to continue production.

Matsui

The recruitment for new farmers was set for Muscat of Alexandria, so I handled that. While I was cultivating grapes, the Shine Muscat boom occurred. Shine Muscat became popular, and the overall grape market flourished.

On the other hand, the number of producers of Muscat of Alexandria is decreasing rapidly, and there are probably only about ten people producing it in the Funao area now.

You can make wine with Shine Muscat as well. It is a variety produced all over Japan.

However, it is sad to see the 130-year history of Muscat of Alexandria in Okayama come to an end, which is why I continue to produce it.

The term "Muscat" refers to a general category of white grapes, doesn't it? It has a taste and aroma that is very familiar to Japanese people. I believe that the widespread use of the word "Muscat" is actually due to the efforts of the people of Okayama. It would be sad to see it replaced by Shine Muscat, so I continue to handle it for consumption as well. I hope to leave it for future generations.

Another reason I am committed to Muscat of Alexandria is that it is necessary for the wine I want to create. When I was in my twenties, the first natural wine I drank was made from the Muscat Hamburg (a hybrid of Muscat of Alexandria and the black variety Black Hamburg) that Ooka-san was producing.

I wanted to share the excitement of encountering this wine with those around me, and I wanted to drink it myself. So, I created a rosé wine called "Aka" by mixing Muscat of Alexandria with black varieties.

I Want to Spread Risk-Free Wine Making

What are the benefits of wine making?

Matsui

The cultivated area per household is very small. Therefore, in small areas, it is necessary to generate profits with high quality and high prices.

Recently, as the number of farmers has decreased, we must increase the cultivated area per person. However, to keep the price range unchanged, I believe that processing is the best method. Among those, choosing wine can aim higher. We are not aiming to make that much profit, though.

If the production area per person increases, it will also help resolve abandoned farmland. By continuing to produce high-quality grapes and adding processing, income can increase, and labor hours can be distributed. If the young people who come to this area can imitate the methods I practice, I think they will see a way to make a living.

Natural wine making is fundamentally full of risks. Natural wine requires organically grown grapes. However, before making wine, cultivating grapes organically is a risk in itself. To claim organic cultivation, certification is required, and it seems that obtaining it is absurd. I am the only one in Okayama Prefecture who has obtained certification. While there are others in different prefectures who have obtained certification, I thought, "If no one else is doing it, I will do it," and I obtained it.

Since I do not add preservatives or other additives to the wine, instability is also a risk.

Natural wine has flavor variations and is unstable, so artificial production can yield more stable results. However, I think it is fine that there are flavor variations every year, and that reflects the taste of that year.

Enjoying Natural Wine Unique to Okayama's GRAPE SHIP

During the shipping season, local restaurants seem to be looking forward to it.

Matsui

I am grateful for the environment that says we need more.

Basically, GRAPE SHIP's wine is consumed locally. I believe that transportation itself is not natural, so it should be consumed as much as possible locally.

Are there any unique ways to enjoy GRAPE SHIP's natural wine in Okayama?

Matsui

I would like it to be paired with local ingredients and processed products. Using local ingredients, harvested locally, consumed by local people.

Recently, I worked with Uoharu in Chayamachi, Kurashiki City at a market. Uoharu paired all the fish from the Takahashi River with the wine. They showed that even fish that fishermen release (returning caught fish to the water without killing them) because they are not profitable can be processed and enjoyed deliciously. I brought the natural wine requested by the organizer to the event along with those fish dishes.

I was very grateful, and I was happy to have the local products paired with the wine. I hope both people from outside the prefecture and locals can enjoy it that way.

Just as Uoharu values fish that are overlooked, I also look at the way of being a grape farmer and the way of thinking, and I will produce things that are consumed locally. I want to create an environment where we can think Okayama is a great place.

Matsui-san Who Continues to Challenge

Are you currently taking on any challenges?

Matsui

I am working on making natural wine from peaches. I plan to release it in the summer of next year (2025). There is a farmer nearby who cultivates peaches organically. I think that organic cultivation probably has a lot of waste. If they are going to discard it, I asked them to share it with me.

I have already tested making wine from regular peaches that are not organically grown. I had the opportunity to obtain organically grown peaches, which I was hoping for.

In the tests, when I brewed separately using Hakuto and Shimizu White Peach, the characteristics of the varieties were completely different. I was surprised. The one that had a peach-like aroma was Hakuto. Hakuto is a silky peach, and when you drink it as wine, the aroma flows in smoothly, making it feel like you are actually eating a peach. It has a low sugar content, so it is dry. Shimizu White Peach has a good flavor.

Conclusion

I first learned about GRAPE SHIP at a restaurant in Kurashiki City. I remember the staff happily telling me that high-quality natural wine is being produced in Kurashiki City.

Because of the commitment to production, the quantity is not large. I happened to be able to go to a restaurant that could offer the last few remaining bottles, and I drank Aka. It had a pleasant rich aroma of Muscat, yet the taste was light and dry. I had the impression that wine made from Muscat of Alexandria was sweet and suited for an aperitif, but I was surprised by the taste that made me want to pair it with food. It was a moment of encountering a new realm of Muscat of Alexandria.

The natural wine made by Matsui-san is not just delicious. Through the interview, I learned that it helps preserve the grape culture of Okayama and contributes to resolving abandoned farmland.

I was also moved by the fact that he provides opportunities for children to learn about agriculture and the treasures of the region through food education activities.

I feel that a new food culture is likely to grow from GRAPE SHIP's natural wine. I will continue to keep an eye on Matsui-san's activities.