Before the tasting commenced at the inaugural Sakura Japan Women's Wine Awards in Tokyo, the judges were reminded to remove their lipstick. The competition, organized by the Wine and Spirits Culture Association (WSCA), is the first in Japan to feature an all-female panel of assessors. Over the course of four days, the event brought together approximately 200 women in the wine industry from around the country.
While gender has no influence on tasting skills — a sharp palate is a sharp palate — organizers of the competition reason that female wine professionals are in a better position to understand the preferences of female consumers.
The competition received 1,900 entries from 33 countries (including 150 entries from Japanese wineries), giving the Sakura awards the added distinction of being the largest in Japan. The impressive turnout demonstrates that wineries have recognized the importance of courting the ladies.