KOSHU, Yamanashi -- Preparations for producing this year's white wine have begun in Koshu, Yamanashi Prefecture, which is known as one of Japan's leading wine production areas.
Over about 40 minutes on Saturday morning, about 4 tons of Koshu, the main grape variety grown in the prefecture, was transferred to a special machine by conveyor belt at Grace Wine in the Katsunuma district in the city. Then the stems were removed from the grapes and the juice was squeezed out. The facility was filled with a grapey aroma.
After a week of fermentation, the wine will be stored until it is bottled, as early as next spring. Grace Wine plans to ship the equivalent of about 160,000 standard 750-milliliter bottles within Japan and overseas.
"The farmers' efforts have yielded healthy grapes despite the harsh weather conditions. We hope people enjoy the aroma and taste of the fruit itself," plant manager, Hiromi Nakano, 51, said.
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