Koshu (甲州 ''kōshū'') is a white wine grape variety that has been grown primarily in the
Koshu Valley
Koshu Valley is the informal name for the main wine-producing area of Japan, a valley extending around the town of Koshu in the eastern part of Yamanashi Prefecture. The area comprises the towns of Koshu, Yamanashi and Fuefuki, collectively know ...
in
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Though long thought to be of exclusively European origin, it is now known to be a hybrid (probably naturally occurring) of Europe's ''
Vitis vinifera'' and one or more East Asian ''
Vitis'' species. The name “Koshu” is a former name for Yamanashi and the present-day name of the main town in the valley where the majority of Koshu grapes are grown.
Wine characteristics
The distinctive characteristics of Koshu are a pale straw colour and a soft, fruity and aromatic bouquet with overtones of citrus, peach and jasmine. The taste is clean, delicate and fresh, considered a good match for Japanese cuisine.
Wine production
In the late 19th century, the first proper
winery was established in Yamanashi. After the second half of the 20th century, production of
Japanese Wine
Although viticulture and the cultivation of grapes for table consumption has a long history in Japan, domestic wine production using locally produced grapes only really began with the adoption of Western culture during the Meiji restoration in ...
from locally grown grapes increased dramatically. There are now more than 80 wineries in Yamanashi Prefecture; they turn out about 40% of Japan's domestic wine production, and Yamanashi has 95% of the Koshu plantings in the country.
References
{{Authority control
White wine grape varieties
Table grape varieties
Japanese fruit