The different wines, for autumn and winter

The ever changing gastronomical seasons of Autumn and Winter in Japan offer tremendous variety in pairings. What seasonal changes do you feel in Japan? What wines go well with which foods? We asked Frédéric Cayuela, DipWSET - Account Manager at BB&R Japan and teacher for the Academie Du Vin in Tokyo - for his personal recommendations.

A journey to Yamanashi a couple of weeks ago, observing the horizon filled with a blanket of crimson leaves, made me realise how much time can be ephemeral and flickering while we are already approaching the end of the year. Despite being pleasantly cool, the air is infused with the slight smoky smell of this year's freshly pruned and burnt wood, creating a thin fog in the pictorial viticultural village of Katsunuma.

While a few late winemakers are still proceeding to the very last harvest of the year, gathering vibrant pink Indigenous Koshu grapes in their cellar. The vines, sparsely coated in their green and scarlet cloaks, are already preparing for the dormancy time. Yet hundred of kilometres away, the chill and the quietness engulf in an even more luminous Tokyo: fall is undoubtedly well rooted in the archipelago.

The summery vibes are gone, but all is not lost! With the end-of-year festivities approaching and a sensible drop in the temperature, I found it also the best time to reflect on another year closing and to ease my mind while sipping into the mesmerising ruby robe of a bold red wine.

And what better way to greet the season changes when you live in Japan? Each season, the country offers a rich diversity of dishes: from the earthy, spicy aromas of the Matsutake Mushrooms, to the fragrant roasted sweet potato, Yaki-imo, without forgetting to mention the heartwarming Nabe hot pot and one-pot stew Oden, these dishes won’t fail to invigorate your soul (and your stomach) during this season.

With its generous dishes and with the temperature decreasing, Fall is certainly the season calling for bold red wines at your table or with your guests. From the elegant Burgundy Pinot Noir to the majestic Piemonte Nebbiolo, I found the wines made from these grapes strongly adapted not only to the seasonal mood but also to the nature of the dishes offered by the season.

Take one of my favourite Pinot Noirs, the finely crafted 2018 Volnay, Clos de la Cave des Ducs, 1er Cru by the talented Benjamin Leroux. The wine gives you a ton of reasons, or excuses, to pop it alongside autumnal rich dishes: It displays a vibrant acidity that provides an incredible freshness while, still youthful, it has an amazing and lingering pronounced intensity of fresh red fruits, cherries and raspberries. As Japan offers many mushroom varieties during this season, it is also worth considering older vintage wines that may provide a more complex and developed bouquet with forest floor and savoury notes to pair with. My recommendation would go, for example, for a succulent back vintage of the Pommard, Clos des Epeneaux, 1er Cru from the Comte Armand, or another 20-year-old Pommard from François Gaunoux.

On the other side of the Alps, in the Piemonte, Barolo's and Barbaresco's Nebbiolo are another beautiful alternative for Japanese autumnal gastronomy. Their pale and elegant appearance may not be dissimilar to Pinots'. However, the grape naturally provides a lot more texture with often grippy and fine-grained tannins. Together, the mouthwatering freshness of the high acidity, pronounced intensity, and the high tannin and full body of the wine are your best allies when coping with flavourful and generous dishes. Given the long maturation regulation for Barolos, it is also not uncommon feature to find layers of complexity with notes of cedar and oak with some development notes of tobacco and bitter chocolate. The 2019 Barolo, Brunate from Marcarini would be succulent with any kind of Japanese meat stews, or simply with generous French Southwestern bistro food such as a good duck Cassoulet!

With the end of year coming, I would also like to remind you to enjoy time with your loved ones, and what better than great wines to share moments of conviviality with them! Santé!

Frédéric.