Custom labels or clean skins for Japan.

[Panda 9D]

Hi all,

This is my first post here so I'm sorry if this is an inappropriate place to ask this question. Feel free to move or delete the topic if it's out of line. Anyway...

I'm an Adelaidian living in Japan and am making small entries into the wine business here. A restaurant chain that specializes in Korean BBQ has asked me about organizing a custom labeled house red for them. The quantity would be small to begin with, about 85doz. for the first order. As an indicator of the level and price I want.. something like Pirathon shiraz would be at a good level and price. Unfortunately (but understandably), the Kalleskes don't want or need to do this. So I was wondering if you guys knew of any (or are) good producers in SA that would be worth talking to about this? Doesn't have to be shiraz, just has to stand up to fatty Japanese beef.

Thanks!

[hungus]

Being Korean and a wine lover, I have had the pleasure of mixing fatty beef (love that marbling!!) and Australian reds.

The combination so far that I have found very satisfying was a nice GSM (such as a Teusner Joshua or a Penfolds Bin 138) or Shiraz's such as a Wynns white label or Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz (which was on Kami No Shizuku - so should be familiar to the Japanese)

Hope this helps

[Panda 9D]

I loved wine shopping in Korea... really good selections and not as Eurocentric as Japan. Definitely a better range of Australian wines. The only problem is the price!

Unfortunately Australian wine has all but disappeared from department store cellars in Japan(despite the occasional appearance in Japanese wine manga). Today I went to Takashimaya and found the Australian section at foot level consisting of a Nottage Hill, a Lehman cab sav and a few critter wines (Little Penguin etc.). NZ gets eye level space....

[daz]

I've not had any Kurtz wines but they seem to have a following, be priced fairly well (Boundary Row range about $20) and the quality from reports I've seen is good to very good. Comparatively small output so could probably be categorised as "boutique".

[Waiters Friend]

Surely, for Panda9D, isn't the issue "which wineries might be interested in doing a cleanskin batch of about a pallet of a wine they (or even the winery itself) can 'house label (that matches the required style)". I don't know, Panda9D, if you have had private messages offering wines for sale, but I'd be surprised if no-one in the Australian market responds.

Cheers

Allan

[hungus]

I loved wine shopping in Korea... really good selections and not as Eurocentric as Japan. Definitely a better range of Australian wines. The only problem is the price!

Haha a very large problem if they are selling yellow tale for the equivalent of 20-30 AUD

[Panda 9D]

Surely, for Panda9D, isn't the issue "which wineries might be interested in doing a cleanskin batch of about a pallet of a wine they (or even the winery itself) can 'house label (that matches the required style)". I don't know, Panda9D, if you have had private messages offering wines for sale, but I'd be surprised if no-one in the Australian market responds.

Cheers

Allan

Yeah, there have been some amazing responses. It will be very difficult to choose between some of these guys. Will have to remember to use a spit bucket if I'm going to get through this tasting!