Last month, Tokyo's wine community was given a rare treat: Two of the most famous names in the wine world descended to hold forth on subjects including the bright future of Japan's Koshu grape and Bordeaux's stellar 2005 vintage.
The events also gave us a chance to taste some impressive and affordable new wines under the benevolent guidance of French wine consultant Denis Dubourdieu and world-famous wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr.
The occasion was historic because this is the first year that a Japanese wine has been accepted for sale in Europe, and both Parker and Dubourdieu had a big role to play in this groundbreaking development.