Sakura Wine. As the name suggests (Sakura means cherry in Japanese), this wine solely designed and made to be consumed in the spring. If you are planning to visit any good place for cherry blossom viewing in Japan, this particular wine should become an ideal accompaniment for your social gathering under a spreading cherry tree in a full bloom.
My wife bought this particular wine product, which I had never seen in Okinawa. Checking the product label, I found out that L'ORIENT WINE, a winery in Koushu City, Yamanashi Pref. created this product. (URL of the winery, in Japanese & Korean: http://www.wine.or.jp/shirayuri/)
For those of you who rather prefer wine of full body, I should mention that this particular product is very light. Maybe too sweet for some. My wife prefer very light wine, so please consider this piece of information as a personal opinion. But, other than that, it can make a perfect aperitif if you invite guests for a picnic under a full-bloom cherry tree. Before you open the bottle, show it to your guests, particularly the actual light pink cherry flowers (two of them inside) that seem to be blossoming in the bottle.
A photo of the wine poured into a wine glass.
Look how beautifully the flower opens in the glass (the bottom).
The hibiscus design on my glass was etched by
a good friend of my wife and I, given to us a few years ago.
The glass with a flower inside.
A photo taken from above.
My wife bought this particular wine at "A Price," a whole sale store chain that operates a store in Nago City. You can purchase this product on line at http://www.wine.or.jp/shirayuri/cart/winelist.html
Cherry flower viewing season in Okinawa is over, but for those who live in or visiting other regions of Japan, best season is yet to come. Study cherry flower front line forecasts and research in your area a good place to have a picnic under fully blossomed cherry trees. Do this beforehand and carefully organize your picnic, and consider also about bringing delicious meal and some good tasting sake or wine that goes well with it. Have a quality time at least once a year with your family or good friends, and one of the good season to do this is during the flower viewing season. This is the way to blossom happiness in your heart, is it not?
