Mr. Hidekazu Hashimoto – Japan – Sommelier/Wine Expert/Wine Instructor (Interview No. 196)

Name: Mr. Hidekazu Hashimoto –

Nationality: Japan –

At the moment: Japan –

Founder of VITIS CLUB: www.vitisclub.com/

Prerequisite:

Please, tell us a little bit about your first encounter with wine & the wine industry? Did you have any particular mentors?

My first encounter with wine goes back 20 years. I was originally in the restaurant business, but I studied wine and gave it to my father for his birthday. From there, I learned the depth of wine, its history, and its vinification. I am now assisting wineries around Japan and offering “wine with value” to consumers. Of course, we have wines from all over the world, not just Japan. Among them, we consider Tokaji from Hungary to be the most valuable. I don’t have a mentor, but I respect those winemakers who are working hard in Japan, a region that is very difficult for viticulture. 

What specific traits or skills should a Sommelier(e) possess for professional performance and is there any person with those qualities you especially admire within the wine industry?

If I were asked to name one sommelier whom I respect, it would be Satoru Mori. His service that can be adapted to anyone, his strictness in his gentleness, his passion for his customers, and his speed in responding flexibly. I am still learning and trying to make as many customers happy as possible.

What would be your advice to a young Sommelier(e).How to find a good position at home or abroad? Any further tips?

Many of my students are young sommeliers. Unlike our time, these may be difficult times with inbound travel and declining alcohol consumption. However, I hope that they will be flexible in their ideas and provide services that are close to their customers. There will be climate changes in wine regions, and new regions and wines with unique ideas will emerge. If they can try and use a variety of such things without sticking to them, they will discover new things. And some say that sommeliers are unnecessary for AI, but human communication enriches food. I hope they will not give up and perform better than ever.

Active:

When a customer asks for advice on selecting wine what, in your opinion, would be the best approach?

There are many ways to determine what kind of wine the customer wants and how to fit it in. As I said before, I feel that communication with customers is the most necessary. AI can never be able to make suggestions while observing the conversation, eating speed, tastes, etc. I think this is the reason why I am a sommelier.

What is your philosophy about glasses? Are you working with well-known brands or are you considering new brands as well.  How do you decide?

I am also a bar consultant. It is also important with regard to glassware selection. We choose them according to the atmosphere of the restaurant, not because they are from an expensive manufacturer or because they are hard to break. In Japan, we also consider the placement of the glasses so that they will not break in an earthquake.

What advice would you give people on pairing wine with food?

I see pairing as a profound and profound agenda. My idea is defined as maximizing the five tastes (acidity, bitterness, umami, astringency, and sweetness) with food and wine. In Japan, there is a widespread and shortsighted notion that red wine is for meat dishes and white wine is for fish. It is a bit unfortunate that we think so simply about the various varieties and flavors of both red and white wines. Therefore, I will be making a variety of suggestions to pair noble rot wines with meat dishes. It is similar to the Japanese seasoning called Mirin, and it is a great way to enhance the flavor of meat dishes.

Should a Sommelier(e) taste the guest’s wine?

I think host checks should be done. However, it is also a topic that you want to consider carefully, as there are many different types of guests. To check for bouchonets and thermal degradation in advance It seems necessary. I have had mild bouchonnettes at restaurants that do not check before and was a little disappointed. I also do not want my customers to feel that way.

Wine list:

What are the key ingredients for creating a wine list for a restaurant and what is your opinion on pricing wine in restaurants, do you have tips on how to determine mark ups?

As I mentioned earlier, I suggest a price range that matches the atmosphere of the restaurant. The current prices of Burgundy and Champagne are a bit high for the current bar, so we suggest corpinnat, franciacorta English sparkling, and new world pinot noir instead. Of course, we will update the list as needed to make sure we have what our customers really want, rather than what the store wants to sell.

How do you manage to stay on top of the changes in the wine industry?

COVID has had a significant impact on the alcohol industry, including wine. There is a decline in alcohol consumption among young people and a bias toward low-alcohol beverages. In Japan, high alcohol beverages are becoming less and less of an option. Wine is also a choice, but more and more people are opting for natural products these days. I suppose there is a sense of security in the naming, but it seems to me that it is a successful marketing strategy. I continue to suggest wine as a beverage that can be enjoyed casually without being pretentious. Many customers are pleased with aspects of wine they did not know about. How we propose to do this in the future is also important. Climate change in producing regions is also having a significant impact. Global warming is gradually reducing the number of cool-climate production areas. In Japan, Hokkaido used to be considered cool, but recently it has become warmer.

How would a new vineyard get their wine noticed and what is the best way for producers to improve their chances of being listed?

The number of new wineries in Japan continues to increase and now exceeds 400. Of these, 90% are small wineries with a capacity of around 10,000 liters. Most of them are family or sole proprietors, and their vineyards are limited to 2 to 4 hectares. Although their production is small, they have easy access to markets in the metropolitan area. There are many opportunities for producers to sell directly to customers in restaurants and bars. This is one way to expand sales channels.

Favourite pick:

If you were a wine, which variety would you be, and why?

People around me say it is unique, so I am sure it deserves its own indigenous grape variety, not an international variety. In Japan, there is a grape called Bijou Noir, which makes a wonderful wine. If I were to use a metaphor, I would say it is a variety like this.

Which top 3 types of wine (your faves would we find in your home wine collection and what’s your desert island wine?

The wines I would like to bring are World’s earliest new wine made with Delaware Light rosé wine corpinnat I would like to bring Delaware is harvested before it is colored, which allows the wine to be light with high acidity. Every year I go to Yamanashi to help with the harvest. In humid summers like Japan, it is a wine to be enjoyed chilled and on the rocks. It is also called Nou Nouveau,

Any interesting suggestions about magazines or online platforms?

With the paperless society, it has become difficult to collect information even from specialized magazines. The use of social networking services and various other means of communication, such as remote seminaries, are also a major aspect of our business. That’s why sometimes analog suggestions that can’t be done online are appreciated. People want direct communication. That is why I think it would be a good idea for bars and restaurants to take on this role and do a variety of other things.

Thank you

Hidekazu

Looking for a Sommelier job? Feel free and check out on www.sommelier-jobs.com/sommelier-jobs/

Looking for the perfect wine list? Feel free to go to link

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