Program to co-create a "slightly better future with wine" 2024

Update: 2024.08.09

S T O R Y

Nakadana Onsen Nakadana-so", where Shimazaki Toson, a great writer of the Meiji era, was healed, will hold an "Original Wine Program" to make sake by themselves and connect sake culture to the future.

Nakadanasou is located in Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture, a town along the Hokkoku Kaido Road, which retains the houses of merchants from the Taisho and various periods in the past, when the first lord of Komoro Castle, Sengoku Hidehisa, ruled the city.

In the Komoro area, which was once a cultural exchange point, sake made in the Nitta rice paddies, wine made by taking advantage of the mountainous terrain, whiskey, craft beer and craft gin made from the high quality spring water of Shinshu, and many other types of sake have come and gone and are now flourishing.

With the cooperation of Gió Hills winery, which was spun off from Nakadanasou in 2018, this program allows participants to deepen their knowledge of wine and experience the pleasure of tasting wine by experiencing the cycle of wine production with producers over the course of a year.

This year we will make a barrel-aged Merlot.

Through winemaking, we will work together to create a "better future with wine" by creating a new community of wine culture, its creators, and participants.

A year later, we plan to hold a wine party with the finished wines. Please look forward to it!

Thoughts on Program Development

Sake creates community and makes people smile."

Through sake brewing, we want to create a time that brings smiles to people's faces as they interact with nature and create a community. We want to create a time (a place) where people from all walks of life can transcend their own barriers and gather around sake.

Our activities may still be small, but I hope that as this program spreads, the sake culture in this area will take root, and together with all involved, create a culture of sake that will lead to the future.

We developed this project with this in mind.

Program Objectives

Knowing Wine from Soil Preparation

Creating a community born out of sake making

Let's also work together to solve wine culture issues.

Toast with the finished wine!

Knowing wine from the soil" - this is where the dialogue with nature comes to life. By benefiting from the grapes nurtured by the earth and experiencing the depths of the soil, we can glimpse the depths of wine.

Community building through sake making" - common interests and passions bring people together. A rich community is nurtured by sharing the process, knowledge and experience.

Together we can solve the challenges of wine culture" -- For a sustainable future, we must also confront the challenges within our winemaking. Together we can build a better future by considering the challenges of wine culture and supporting initiatives that contribute to sustainable production methods and community development.

A toast to the finished wine! --The wine is the result of the hard work and passion that went into the making of this wine. Sharing the joy with friends who have walked with us, we toast with the finished wine at the end of the day!

Recommended for

I want to know more about wine.

I want to know and learn about the process of making wine.

I want to connect with the winemaker and learn about his/her passion for wine.

We want to build horizontal connections and communities with people who "love wine".

I would like to co-create a "wine culture" that will take root in this region in the future with all participants.

I want to enjoy toasting with my friends with my own wine.

I want to make wine with my children, and when they grow up, I want to toast with them and present it to them.

I would like to help with winery work.

Point 1: The joy of learning and the process and thoughts behind wine making

You can participate in a total of 12 programs throughout the year from April to March of the following year, or at each session, and experience the entire process of making wine, from soil preparation to cultivation, barrel preparation, and vinification, with Hayato Tomioka of Gió Hills winery.

Point 2: Present the finished wine.

The wine is made slowly over the course of a year. This year we are making a barrel-aged Merlot. You can drink it yourself, give it as a gift, or let it age until you are ready to drink it with your little ones.　*The number of bottles will vary depending on your application.

Point 3: Building a community around wine　

When wine lovers get together, communication is unintentionally created and various ties are formed. Let's enjoy time centered around wine making together with fellow wine lovers.