Blog – Page 10 – Bacchus Global

Perspectives

Hakushu’s Famed Water and the 1880 Imperial Lodging

The Birthplace of Yamanashi Meijo’s “Shichiken Onakaya” When people hear “Hakushu,” many think of the Suntory Hakushu Distillery. But there is another brewery that has long used the same underground water from the Ojira River—the soft water filtered over thousands of years through the granite layers of Mount Kaikoma in the Southern Alps—that serves as […]

LOIRE VALLEY

Between the Loire and the Ocean

The Renaissance of the Muscadet Vineyard Between Nantes and the Atlantic Ocean, for 2,000 years—dating back to the Gallo-Roman era—in the final meanders of the Loire River, a final vineyard borders its banks: the Muscadet Vineyard, the Kingdom of Melon de Bourgogne, a grape variety unique in the world. The vineyards of the Loire Valley […]

Perspectives

Removing a Mainstream Assumption

An Intellectual Shift in Cultivating Craft Culture Three Disparate Threads One morning, three pieces of material were sitting on my desk. One was a note regarding KUMA TOMATO, a unique tomato-based liqueur from Tsutsumi Distillery, a respected Kuma shochu producer in Kumamoto Prefecture. Another was a summary of Takafumi Nakanishi’s book, Next-Generation AI: Japan’s Path to Victory. […]

Perspectives

Crafted for French Cuisine

Shichiken “Alain Ducasse Sparkling Sake” Founded in 1750 (the 3rd year of the Kan’en era), Yamanashi Meijo’s “Shichiken,” located in Hakushu, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, has collaborated with Alain Ducasse, a highly respected figure in French cuisine. The result is “SHICHIKEN Selection Alain Ducasse Sparkling Sake.” Released in April 2021, this sparkling sake features a […]

NOGUCHI NAOHIKO

A Masterpiece from a Legend Who Cannot Drink

Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute “Organic Rice Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Unpasteurized Genshu 2019” Naohiko Noguchi is widely revered in Japan as the “god of sake brewing.” Born in 1932 in Ishikawa Prefecture as the third generation of a family of tōji (master brewers), he entered the sake world at 16 and became the tōji of Kikuhime at just 27 years […]

Perspectives

Preserving 400 Casks

Ichiro’s Malt & Grain White Label and the 400-Year Legacy of the Akuto Family In Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, there is a company called Venture Whisky. Its founder is Ichiro Akuto, the 21st-generation head of a sake-brewing family whose roots go back to 1625. Akuto and Venture Whisky have long been regarded in the global whisky […]

Perspectives

Thailand’s 2026 Alcohol Regulations

Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Bangkok’s Gastronomy On May 12, 2026, Thailand introduced new alcohol regulations, a shift that transcends simple “stricter regulation.” On one hand, Thailand is tightening parameters around drinking and alcohol availability on trains, buses, boats, and related transport facilities. On the other, the country has embraced trial measures to ease the […]

Koji & Fermentation

Fermentation in 2026

While culinary media often highlight fleeting trends like plant-based dining, low-sugar alternatives, or non-alcoholic pairings, 2026 marks a moment when one practice has quietly transcended this cycle: fermentation.

AWARD : SAKE

In the Heart of Kyoto Stands a 300-Year-Old Sake Brewery

With the slogan “Trust your own palate,” the Sake-1 Grand Prix ranks sake from breweries across Japan by votes from tasters. Held each year at Matsuo Taisha in Kyoto, it is a rare competition in the sake world where consumers’ impressions directly determine the results. At the 9th competition, held on April 19, 2026, one bottle selected for third place was Matsui Sake Brewery’s “Kagura” from Kyoto.

GOKUJOTSUTSUMI

The Shifting Terroir

Burgundy’s Harvest: A Changing Agricultural Rhythm In France’s Burgundy region, the start of the harvest has moved forward by an average of roughly two weeks over the past 30 years. Bordeaux is seeing the same pattern. The vendange, once a quintessential October ritual, now often begins as early as late August.