Message from the brewer

～The future of Hama Wine～

Why did you decide to build a winery here?

This is a question that is always asked by people visiting a winery for the first time.

At that time, I was confused because the answer given by many brewers and winery owners was, "I want to make my own wine."

But the reason I wanted to build a winery in this place was because I wanted to create a place where people could experience food production.

Now that food has become like an industrial product without us even realizing it, if we do not take more interest in how the food we eat is produced, it will have a major impact not only on our bodies, but also on the planet we live on, Earth.

Winemaking makes me think about many things every day. Wine is an agricultural product. Agricultural products are greatly influenced by the climate and also by people's tastes. And the wine that is made is also tossed about in the rough seas of "distribution."

This winery allows visitors to take part in some of the brewing process, and hopes that by getting involved with the process, visitors can gain a new perspective on how the wines on the store shelves are made and sold.

We conduct research and make efforts every day in the hope that the wine produced here will weave together everyone's thoughts and feelings, and that it will be a form of "food production" that places less strain on our bodies and the earth.

When I receive feedback like, "I've never liked wine before, but I can drink this," "It's fruity and easy to drink," or "It goes well with food," I shout in my head, "Yay!"

Listen to the grapes.

The main focus is always on the grapes. What we tell everyone involved in brewing and cultivation is to "listen to the grapes." By talking to the grapes, they will tell us what they want us to do. We use our hands, feet, heads, and hearts to support them. And that is how Hama Wine is born.

The fruits used to make Hama Wine are all high quality and carefully grown by producers we know personally. Thanks to this, in the 2020 season, after 3 years of accumulated know-how since our founding, we were able to start making wine without the use of antioxidants. Until now, our winemaking policy has been to not add sugar or filter. With the desire to "make wine that makes the most of the flavor of the fruit as is, and to avoid using chemicals as much as possible," making wine without antioxidants opens up new possibilities.

In the spring of 2020 , they began cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes without the use of pesticides in Yokohama. In the orchard, a diverse range of living organisms coexist with the seedlings throughout the four seasons. How can they grow wine grape seedlings to harvest while protecting biodiversity in Yokohama, a place that is by no means suitable for grape cultivation? They have begun their challenge to create true "food products" that start with cultivating the ingredients.

The theme of Yokohama Winery is "weaving."

Just as a single piece of cloth is made by weaving together various threads, we hope to weave together our encounters with you to expand the world of wine made from Japanese fruit. The challenge of this small winery overlooking Yokohama Port has only just begun.

We invite you to join us in shaping the future of our winery.

Representative and brewer Yoshiko Machida

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