In Topics, we will deliver not only the taste of sake but also the story and thoughts behind it through interviews with the sake producers handled by the sake select shop Mirai Nihonshuten .
Fujii Sake Brewery Mr. Fujii's interview is finally the last time. Lastly, we will think about branding for wine and sake based on Mr. Fujii's overseas visits.

Are sake and wine similar?
Sake branding from a winery perspective

-Mr. Fujii, I heard that you recently went to Napa in California and Bordeaux in France, both of which are famous wine regions.

First of all, my frank impression of Napa was that it was a land of well-developed new amusement and sightseeing. Because it's so beautiful, well-maintained, and the famous winery Opus One looks like modern art. On the other hand, Bordeaux has a great history, and I feel like I went to Kyoto.
Especially in Saint-Emilion, there are temples with wall paintings from the 4th century. The building itself is very old. There is also a tourism that uses it in the whole town.
If Napa is modern, Bordeaux is really like going to see the ruins, though it is an exaggeration.

-I heard that they also saw brewing equipment.

I didn't see Napa, but when I saw Bordeaux, I got the impression that the brewing facilities were surprisingly modern, although it depends on the winery.

-It's old on the outside, but new on the inside?

Inside, it's equipment, like a brewing machine. I think it's the same in Japan, but I get the impression that the larger the scale, the more modernized brewing equipment they use.
For example, I went to see the brewing facilities of Margaux, one of the five major chateaux in the Medoc region of Bordeaux, and it was amazing.

-I see. We can also make use of this for Japanese sake, or Japanese sake is more advanced here. Did you make any such discoveries?

They have a lot in common . The shape of the tools they use are similar.
However, wine and sake are completely different in terms of the fermentation process and how they are made. In terms of the concept, I wonder if it can be done in this way if it is replaced with sake, but I am a little skeptical if I can use the other side's product as it is in sake.

-In a way, you're making the assumption that this is a wine tour.

I agree. Because there are many things to learn besides construction.
One very interesting thing about going to the Bordeaux region is that they don't bottle their wine in their own warehouses . Wineries throughout Bordeaux send their barrels to one bottling factory, where they label their wines from bottling.

-What was your impression of Mr. Fujii?
It's positive, and it's about losing individuality.

It's both, but I don't think there are many people in the world who can't think of wine when they hear Bordeaux. I feel that the branding was made possible because of the uniformity of everything from the uniform shape of the Bordeaux bottle to the AOC seal. Because you can express your individuality on the inside.

-Bordeaux itself can be established as a high-quality brand.
Regarding the design, I think the shape of the bottle is standardized in each region, but will there be some restrictions on the label design as well?

It's probably there, but I think that individual wineries will do it.
I decided to say what I had to put on the label. That's why it seems that there are only background pictures and fonts that can be tampered with.

-Sake is half of the system like that, but for wine, the required items are more clearly defined visually, and the volume and strength are almost the same.
Do you think this kind of "unification" should be introduced into the sake industry? Or do you think it would be better to change each brewery based on its individuality?

It's hard to say which one is better, but if it's meant to be easy to understand, I think it would be better to unify the visual aspects as well.

-This is exactly the case with Richie Hawtin's enter.sake series, but there is a guideline for enter., which is quite different from the original labels of breweries such as Sora and Shinsei, and it is a unified visual as enter.sake.
It's not a private brand, but there are cases where the logo is changed because the logo is put here. The question is whether this should be done by administrative units as well.
*enter. Sake: A project by British techno musician and DJ Richie Hawtin. Richie himself is well versed in sake, and several domestic breweries are involved.

This should not be done at the national level. I think it's local level.
That's why we can make rules about the notation of sake, but if we do it at the national level, it will look like we will refuse to enter from other countries.
What's more, this time it's a rule that sake made in Japan is not sake, isn't it? But I think that just because it's made in Japan doesn't necessarily mean it's sake.
The definition of sake itself is very ambiguous. After all, sake made with rice suitable for sake brewing and sake made with rice that is not suitable for sake brewing, and sake made with rice that is not suitable for sake brewing, and sake made with rice that is not suitable for sake brewing, would all end up with the same name Daiginjo. It's the same whether you make it with new rice or old rice. I don't think that's very good. I think the brand will go up a notch.

To put it in extreme terms, wouldn't it be weird if wines made in Burgundy land, Pinot Noir and wines made in Delaware all got Burgundy AOC?

-AOC is not a country, but a region, isn't it?

yes. Regional unit, not national unit. The AOC itself will be subject to more detailed regulations . If you don't do it, you don't have to.

- Interestingly, Burgundy and Bordeaux are classified differently. Bordeaux is not qualified to be called Bordeaux wine unless it is made in Gironde. Burgundy, on the other hand, is a specific area of ​​several departments belonging to a wider regional area.
In other words, in terms of local government units in Japan, Bordeaux is a single prefecture, and Burgundy is a regional area, so I think it is a union of multiple production areas such as Tokai and Sanyo.
Based on this, Mr. Fujii, what do you think would be appropriate if we were to create a framework such as Hiroshima prefecture, Takehara city, or the Chugoku region?

I think it's the prefecture.
I feel that Niigata used to do branding similar to AOC. As far as the taste is concerned, when it comes to elegant dryness, it's like Niigata. If each brewery had done it separately, I don't think it would have spread so much. I think that the image has been established because the prefecture's sake brewers association has done a branding of elegant and dry.

-I see, it was very helpful. Today, we were able to hear about a wide range of topics, including Mr. Fujii's personal history, the thoughts behind the products, and the future vision of the brewery. I'm really thankful to you.

Thank you, Mr. Fujii, for your kind words. From the next update onwards, we will be interviewing Mr. Watanabe of Shimizuya Sake Brewery.