English
Three big things decide the taste of wine: the variety of grapes used, where the grapes come from, and how the wine is made. With a myriad of wine types and brands to choose from, selecting a bottle of wine that would perfectly suit your taste may be a daunting task at first, but with the expert guidance of our good friends from Park90 and Cellar Door Aoyama Niseko, we’ve written down a simple guide to make your navigation to the world of wine a bit easier.
The Basics
Wine is made from grapes and what type of grape is used determines the kind of wine is produced. Red wine is made with black grapes while white wine is usually made with white grapes (and black grapes in some cases too!). If you look at the wine labels, you’ll notice that they sometimes indicate the grape variety used to make the wine. Famous examples would be white wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc or red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. On the other hand, some wines would be labeled to indicate the place where the wine is from, like Champagne, a type of sparkling wine made in Champagne, France.
Other main types of wines you’ll most likely encounter is rosé, known for its pinkish colour, and sparkling wines – which were mentioned earlier.
Choosing a Wine
So how do you exactly choose a good bottle of wine? The best way would be to head over to your nearest wine merchant for advice. They are specialists prepared to help you find your perfect bottle of wine based on your preferences.
If you are in Niseko, our staff at Park90 would be happy to help in choosing the perfect drink to cap off your night. If you want a bottle to enjoy in the comforts of your own room, the wine boutique inside Park90, Cellar Door Aoyama Niseko has a collection that consists of family-owned fine wine brands from different parts of the world. They have everything from daily bottles under ¥4,000 to top of the range bottles, including a great selection of Burgundy wines, and some excellent wines from lesser known countries like Portugal that represent a great value.
To give you an idea of what they have, they’ve listed down some recommendations from their collection which can be bought at Cellar Door Aoyama Niseko.
If you are new to wine
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2024
¥4,620
Fresh citrus and tropical flavours and refreshing acidity make it a fun and approachable wine even for first timers.
Miraval Rosé 2024
¥5,500
Beautiful rose colour with flavours of strawberries and raspberries but without the tannins of a red wine which can put off those new to wine.
If you like something fruity
Elizabeth Spencer Special Cuvee Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
¥14,300
Ripe grapes from Napa Valley in California gives this wine generous fruit flavours of black currants, plums, and blackberries.
Domaine Jamet Condrieu Vernillon 2022
¥26,400
Made with Viognier grapes, known for its aromas of stone fruit and pears as well as flowers. A great match for aromatic foods using spices and herbs.
If you like strong, bold flavors
Eden Rift Estate Chardonnay 2022
¥10,450
Ripe fruit flavours combined with buttery, toasty notes from winemaking techniques like malolactic fermentation and barrel ageing, this is a white wine that packs a punch.
Chateau Pontet-Canet 2020
¥29,150
From the Pauillac area of Bordeaux, which is known for its powerful, full-bodied red wines. It has a long ageing potential but can be enjoyed now, especially when paired with a hearty meat dish.
If you want to try something different or unique
Battenfeld Spanier C.O. Riesling Liquid Earth 2017
¥29,150
A dry Riesling from a vineyard with very stony soil. Rather than fruit, the focus is on minerality and salinity, which is also reflected in the name “Liquid Earth”.
Terroir Al Limit Les Manyes Priorat 2023
¥38,500
While Priorat is known for intense wines that require long ageing, this is a delicate and elegant representation of the area that can be enjoyed even in its youth.
Enjoying the Wine
Now that you’ve chosen your wine, the next question is what is the best way to enjoy it?
Great wine is best paired with great food – which is why knowing which wine goes with which food is important. However, food pairings can be quite tricky and not always as clear cut as “red wine with meat, white wine with fish.” A good general advice would be to match aspects of the wine with aspects of the food. For example, a dish with acidity will match well with an acidic wine, and a dish with a heavy sauce will match a wine with a full bodied wine.
If you’ve chosen to purchase a bottle to enjoy in your suite or at home, the type of glass, the temperature the wine is served at, and how long the bottle has been opened are factors to consider when drinking wine. Most wines will “open up” more after exposure to air and will taste more flavourful and approachable.
A common mistake is serving white wines too cold, and red wines too warm; the best way to avoid that is taking that white wine out of the fridge for 15 minutes and vice versa, the red wine in the fridge for 15 minutes before opening.
Once opened, properly storing the bottle is the best way to preserve the flavours of the wine. The best thing to do is just to pop the cork back on and store it in the fridge (or the wine chiller for our guests staying in the Four Bedroom Suites and Penthouse). Some wines can still taste good after 5~7 days but most wines are best enjoyed 2~3 days after opening.
Ultimately, enjoying good wine doesn’t have to be complicated. With a bit of guidance and a willingness to explore, finding a wine you love becomes less about rules and more about discovery. Whether you’re starting with an easy, approachable bottle or venturing into something more complex, the best choice is always the one that brings you the most enjoyment, especially when shared in good company and the right setting.
