Kazuomi Fujimaki and Takayuki Taira

“Newcomer winery founded in 2017. Our Natural wine products are made of 100% Grape which were ripened in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture climate.

The Terroir (total growth environment in French), not only the climate, terrain or soil but also including people who live there and their cultures of each land. This Terroir is a principal concept to produce natural wine in GRAPEREPUBLIC.

The farmland and brewery facilities are set up in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture where the hills are at the north and the fertile ground spread to the south.

A land suitable for making grapes, where it has a climate with an intense temperature gap, low humidity throughout the day and a smooth drain geology, but cultivation abandoned areas are noticeable here and there now.

By producing a high quality grape and natural wine from here, we would like to gather new farmers or new wineries and revitalize the increasing abandoned farmland. Eventually, collaborations with famous products of Nanyo City or agribuserism will also be developed, and form a big winemaking area like “Grape Republic” throughout the city. That is our concept.

One of the phrases that expresses natural wine of GRAPEREPUBLIC is “Made of 100% Grapes”, we use only the grapes from Nanyo City climate and add nothing else.

Progress of grape cultivation is the same, we do not use any pesticides such as herbicides or insecticides, as well as fertilizers or antioxidants, never adding any sugar or acid, yeast is natural one only.

The acid around the seeds is essential to make wine that the reason we do not treat gibberellin. Whole progress is covered with a sound eco-cycle.

Regardless of appearance or ease of eating, it is a possible method because those grapes are seeking only taste and sugar contents to produce good wine. Grapes harvest was only 100 kg in 2015, and it became 40tons with surrounding farmers cooperation in 2017. It is expected to increase further in the future.

After two years of construction period, the brewery facility was completed at the end of September 2017. A major feature of the facility is a terra cotta pot imported directly from Spain, 17 Amphora.

After dividing the harvested grapes into fruits and branches with a sorting machine, save the foot crushed fruits in Amphora. Seal the pot with the carbon dioxide gas to avoid another fungus affection will ferment itself to become wine.

Manufacturing method by Amphora has existed about 8000 years ago, but since it is suitable for making natural wine, it has recently been revived.

In GRAPEREPUBLIC, we use stainless steel tanks as well, but amphora is the main. This is one of the expression reason of “more viney than the grape itself”. Please feel this natural flavor with your five senses.”

More Info Here