It takes 40 minutes by car from Niigata Station to the southwest along the coast. There is a notable wine producing area called the ``Niigata Wine Coast.'' Five unique wineries are gathered within a straight line distance of 300 meters, with views of vineyards surrounding them. There are also restaurants, cafes and bakeries, hot springs and spas, and hotels, making it one of the best places for wine tourism in Japan.

The centerpiece of the Niigata Wine Coast is Curve Dodge Winery. I visited last fall after hearing from my wine friends that they are releasing interesting and delicious wines one after another based on ambitious and unique ideas!

The brewer, Fumihito Kakegawa, is involved in the overall management and sales of the winery, demonstrating his multi-talented talents. Among his unique lineup of wines, Albariño wine, which is currently attracting attention, is rated as the highest quality. It is also interesting to compare the Animal Series, which expresses Kakegawa's individuality, to music, saying, ``The Sea Turtle made with Sauvignon Blanc has a jazz style, and the Yamadori made with a Labrusca variety has a J-Pop style.'' . There are many of his wines that I would like to recommend, but today I would like to introduce the FUNPY series of wines that Kakegawa says are ``packed with emotion in a bottle.''

This wine is made mainly from Delaware table grapes, with a touch of Niagara and Sauvignon Blanc, and has a very aromatic and gorgeous fragrance. It looks like a fruit punch marinated with melon, muscat, lemongrass, and verbeine herbs. In the mouth, the light acidity is pleasant, making it a light-bodied, dry wine that you'll find yourself drinking straight away. This is exactly the style of wine that young people around the world are currently liking, and Fumihito Kakegawa's ability to produce wine that is in keeping with these trends shows his high sensitivity.

By the way, Funpy is an abbreviation of ``Fun wine make you happy!!''. It's a fun and relaxed wine to drink, so you can enjoy it chilled in a glass. You want to match the weight of a light wine with a light dish. For example, if you pair it with canapés of smoked salmon with sour cream, sandwiches with shrimp and avocado, or salads with leafy vegetables, it will bring out the sweetness within the bitterness of the vegetables.

Curved Dodge Funpy White 2019

Maker:Curve Dodge Winery / Brewer Fumihito Kakegawa

Location:Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
Variety:Delaware, Niagara, Sauvignon Blanc
Characteristic:In 1992, he cultivated a vineyard and established a winery on the sandy land between the foot of Mt. Kakuda and the Sea of ​​Japan. European varieties are cultivated on sandy soil, and Albariño in particular has a very high reputation. With the goal of turning Niigata into a wine-producing region, in 2005 they started a winery management school to train people who aspire to start wineries, which led to the formation of the Niigata Wine Coast. He has also opened a restaurant in Tokyo. You can also enjoy Curb Dodge's wine and food at Värman in Tokyo Midtown and Äta in Daikanyama.

Dishes you want to pair with:It can also be used with seafood such as smoked salmon and shrimp, as well as salads with avocado and leafy vegetables. like niagara or concordNorth American variety (Labrusca type)The unique grape flavor serves as a chutney for Indian curries.I discovered that it does. So I tried it with keema curry and it was delicious. Give it a try.

Price: 1,980 yen (tax included, reference price)

Rie Matsuki
Sommelier　WSET® Level 4 Diploma, ASI World Sommelier Association Certified International Sommelier Diploma- Gold. He moved to France in 2006 after working with Taillevent Robuchon and others. He studied under Enrico Bernardo, the world's best sommelier, in the south of France, and then worked as a sommelier at a star-rated restaurant in Paris for six years. After returning to Japan, he became a sommelier at Oriental Tokyo before becoming independent. Currently, Caplan is working as a lecturer at wine academies and other institutions, and is also involved in activities to popularize wine, such as explaining wine in the official theater pamphlet for the play ``Sideway.''