"Wine making was first realized following the integration of the two pillars of wine production, grape growing and fermentation techniques. However, here in Katsunuma, grape growers and wine producers went their separate ways and their integration was not achieved. 1,280 years of grape growing history in this area did not bear fruit for the wine making industry due to the society structured on market driven free competition."

Because the grape production of this area is mainly focused on the table grapes, grapes for wine making were only allowed as a risk avoidance strategy in case of over production of grapes. Therefore, under the Japan's national agricultural policies, a hierarchy was formed which placed the grape grower over the wine maker in the agricultural business structure.　Due to this hierarchy, the wine producers had to use table grapes for wine making. This was also the easiest option for the wine makers. As a result of this, most of the wine produced in this area was just an ordinary locally fermented authentic wine which couldn't escape from its local origins. People came to recognize this as 'wine'. Under these conditions Katsunuma's industry became very localized and isolated, and the dream of the wine makers of forming a wine producing region was not realized. Thus, the wine produced under this old agricultural structure was called 'ordinary' wine.

(Old advertisng label for table grapes)

However, now a new "wind" blows which has cut across 1,280 years of history and the leaves of the grapes which have spread over Katsunuma's alluvial soil. We are now at the point where the farmer who supplies the grapes for the raw materials of wine production and the wine making industry are becoming integrated. The "big dream" of ours and this new local wine production industry is based around writing the first page in the history of Katsunuma wine production of a wine that is internationally recognized. By cultivating the full potential of the "Koshu grape" variety and also pursuing to the limits the best in fermentation technology, we hope to make a truly authentic bottle of wine. In this way, our true desire is to hear our "ARUGA BRANCA" wine labeled as eccentric by those who still follow the old way of wine making.