Wine-tasters in France learn many aspects of trade — spitting included
Spitting is frowned upon in polite society — unless of course the spitter is engaged in tasting wines. "It's by spitting out the wine that you will be even more distinguished in society," pleads Pierre-Jules Peyrat, a Paris sommelier. Holding forth before a rapt crowd at ...
The heat wave that is roasting parts of Europe is more than welcome in the French region of Bordeaux, where wine producers say a sudden intense burst of sun after a wet spring could produce a superior vintage. "Two of three days of heat wave ...
Shinobu Teraguchi: Following the nose to Napier, New Zealand
A less intense school system of their daughter prompted Shinobu Teraguchi and his wife to leave the Tokyo city life for the countryside of New Zealand.
Brutal hailstorm exacts heavy financial toll on French farms and vineyards
Farmers in southeast France counted the costs from lost harvests on Sunday after a fierce storm battered the region with hail the size of ping-pong balls, decimating orchards and vineyards just as the summer season was kicking into high gear. "Pretty much my entire harvest ...
Hiyori: Oden crosses over to wine country
Few restaurants capture the Shinsen neighborhood feel better than Hiyori. Looking in from street level, you can tell that it's easygoing and convivial, the sort of place where you drop in for a quick drink, strike up conversation with your neighbors and end up ...
Sushi M: Shaking up the world of sushi through sake pairings
Ever since he was a young chef in his early 20s, Michimasa Nakamura has wanted to shake things up in the world of sushi. Although he cherished its craftsmanship and traditions, he felt constrained by the field's conservative way of thinking, especially in Japan, where ...
Japan's pork, wine and cheese imports from Europe surging under free trade agreement
Japan's imports of pork, wine and cheese from the European Union all marked double-digit growth in February from a year ago following the entry into force of a free trade deal, according to government data. Pork imports saw the largest year-on-year rise of 54 percent ...
Are native grape varieties the key to Japan's burgeoning wine industry?
Thanks to improved technology, greater winemaking know-how and an increased focus on native grape varieties, local wines have gone from sickly sweet to sophisticated and mature.
Sommelier lapel pins — some fake — sold online in Japan despite ban
The Japan Sommelier Association has found that pins it issues to those who pass the sommelier and other wine expert qualifications have been sold on auction sites despite a ban, and that some of the pins are fake, association officials said Monday. The association has ...
Back from the brink: Reviving abandoned vineyards in Osaka
Although wine production in the Kansai region dates back over 100 years, changing demographics have since taken their toll on local grape cultivation. To help save the prefecture's remaining fields from abandonment, Tomofumi Fujimaru opened the Shimanouchi Fujimaru Winery in the heart of Osaka.
As new free trade pact comes into force, Japan and EU tout deal's benefits
Japan and the European Union on Friday celebrated the entry into force of a free trade agreement between them, with officials from both sides hopeful about the potential business and economic opportunities available in a new marketplace of over 600 million people. For Japan, the ...
Cheaper goods in store as Japan-EU free trade pact enters into force amid U.S.-China tariff war
Japan's economic partnership agreement with the European Union entered into force Friday, creating a free trade area that covers about a third of the world's economy. The pact will eliminate tariffs on most reciprocal trade, encourage business investment and ensure the protection of intellectual property ...
