2024 Nōmin Rosso | A red wine with rich fruit flavors made for the Japanese dinner table

A red wine honoring those who tend to grapes, rain or shine

Nohmin Rosso was named to honor those who cultivate grapes under the open sky all year round, rain or shine. Rosso means red in Italian.

This red wine is made from grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Japanese indigenous varietal Muscat Bailey A, grown in Hokkaido, Nagano, Yamagata, and other regions, and fermented with wild yeast.

〈Accolades〉
・JAL International Business Class (2015, 2020 vintages)
・G20 Aichi-Nagoya Foreign Ministers' Meeting Working Lunch (2018vintage)

A pioneer in winemaking with wild yeast

While conventional winemaking uses cultured yeast (natural yeast that has been cultured and dried), Coco Farm Winery adds nothing, allowing the yeast naturally present on the grape skins (= wild yeast) to ferment spontaneously.

This patient method of overseeing fermentation takes time, but it results in high-quality wines described as having "the true taste of the grape" and "a taste of the terroir."

With the rise in popularity of natural wines, winemaking using wild yeast has gained attention, and Coco Farm Winery is considered a pioneer in Japan.

A well-balanced blended wine with the sweetness of berries and a refreshing hint of mint

The rich sweetness of raspberries and wild berries is supported by a gentle acidity, with nuances of mint and barrel aging adding complexity. A smooth tannin lingers in the finish.

Blended to complement Japanese cuisine, it pairs wonderfully with dishes like *qingjao rousi* (stir-fried pepper and meat), Napolitan spaghetti, and *unagi kabayaki* (grilled eel). Don't you find that appealing?

The unique winemaking story of "Coco"

In 1958, Noboru Kawada, a teacher in a special education class (now a support class) in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, and his junior high school students cultivated a steep hillside vineyard.

This steep slope became a place for students with intellectual disabilities to train their minds and bodies.

After patiently developing the mountain for about two years, "Cocoromi Gakuen," a facility for intellectually disabled individuals who had completed compulsory education, started in 1969.

Then, in 1980, Coco Farm Winery was established, and in July 2000, its sparkling wine "1996 NOVO" was served at the banquet at Shuri Castle during the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, bringing it sudden widespread recognition.

True to their philosophy of "making wine that is recognized for its quality, not out of sympathy," their quality is world-class. This dedication to producing wines that can compete on taste ultimately contributes to the pride of the residents of the園生 (Cocoro Gakuen).

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