<The origin of Koshu grape>

"Koshu grape" which is the ingredient of "ARUGA BRANCA" , originated in Caucasus, and it pass through Silk Road and got across to Japan with Buddhism. The original species of "Koshu grape" rooted in Katsunuma with the natural environment suitable for growth of grapes.

Long time ago grapes were cultivated at Daizenji-temple (national treasure) for medical purpose. This is said to be the beginning of "Koshu grape" which is peculiar to Japan, and the beginning of viniculture in Japan. "Koshu grape" was spreaded all over Katsunuma by people who saw viniculture at Daizenji Temple and by birds and small animals serving as a media.

It is said that Viniculture of "Koshu grape" was begun more than 1280years ago; however, it is not known cleary. There is a legend about origin of viniculture of "Koshu grape". In that legend, in 718 buddhist monk named "Gyoki" saw a vision of Yakushi Buddha(medicine Buddha) holding a bunch of grapes.

As a result of the vision, the monk established Daizenji temple and began to grow grapes for medical purpose. Howevere, it is only the legend ,and there is no credibility to it.

In Edo period (AD. 1603~1867), Tanashiki-saibai(Trellis-type cultivation) was invented by prominent Japanese doctor "Kai-Tokuhon" . By using Tanashiki-saibai(Trellis-type cultivation), the efficient grape harvest was attained, and viniculture of "Koshu grape" as a agriculture got stride here in Katsunuma.

About 130 years ago, wine making was encouraged as a national project to grow productive industry. Two local young men (Ryuken Tsuchiya & Masanari Takano) were sent to France to study wine making, and they tried the first wine making in Japan. However, "Koshu grape" with the origin of medical use improved and developed as table grape, was unsuitable for wine making. Afterwards viniculture for table grapes continued.

In the great war time, "Koshu grape " was a valuable source for extracting tartaric acid for militaly use.

In the middle of Showa era(1926~1988), shightseeing boom occured in Japan, and Katsunuma came into the limelight again as "hometown of grape" . As a result, sightseeing grape farm were built ,and farmers put more and more effort to grow table grapes. However, farmers quit growing "Koshu grape" ,and they started to grow high- class table grapes with high unit price, because hard labor is required for growing grapes, and the unit price of "Koshu grape" was low. This leaded to decline of cultivation of "Koshu grape" . In addition to that, decrease of the suuccessors of grape cultivation pushed a decease of "Koshu grape " production further.　At the same time, abolition of duties on foreign wines lead to inflow of a large amount of foreign wine, and Katsunuma started to losing the base of the viniculture and wine making. However, even in this situation, the wine made from "Koshu grape " had been continuously made and loved as an indispnsable thing on their dinning table by people in Katsunuma.

With its long history, "Koshu grape " is the grape that reflects the nature and culture of Japan and Katsunuma. We could say, the only wine made from "Koshu grape" is truly the original Japanese wine. We come back to the basic philosophy of wine making " wine that reflects climate of the place of production could be made from the grape which is rooted to its place of production". We are keep improving our way of cultivation of " Koshu grape" to highten the potential of "Koshu grape" as an ingrdient for wine.

ARUGA BRANCA PIPA