Product Specification of Geographical Indication “長野 (Nagano)”
＜Interim translation＞
Wine
Ⅰ Matters relating the characteristics of liquor which is essentially attributable to its geographical origin
- (1) Characteristics of liquor
- a. Sensory factors
Generally speaking, Nagano wines clearly show the natural flavor properties of each grape variety.
Red wines generally have a deep color and a condensed taste with well-structured tannin and moderate acidity. White wines have a good expression of an aroma unique to each grape variety with fresh and lively acidity.
Among Nagano wines, the wines called “Premium” utilize the natural flavor properties of each grape variety and its taste is produced by harmonization between a gorgeous and elegant aroma and a thick fruity flavor, offering a deep aftertaste.
In the geographical origin of Nagano wines, people often drink Nagano wines with local dishes such as Sanzoku-yaki (grilled chicken) and Shinshu-soba (buckwheat noodle) as well as dishes using local specialties such as Shinshu-ougon-shamo (game cock), Shinshu-salmon, wild game meat, and horse meat. - b. Chemical factors
Nagano wines meet the requirements shown in the table below in terms of alcoholic content, total sulfurous acid level, volatile acid level, total acid level, etc.*For “noble rot wine and ice wine,” the total sulfurous acid level must be 350 mg/L or less.Nagano Wine Nagano Wine Premium Alcoholic content When not chaptalized 7.5% to less than 20% 8% to less than 20% When chaptalized Less than 15% Less than 15% Total sulfurous acid level 350 mg/L or less 250 mg/L or less* Volatile acid level 1.2 g/L or less 1.2 g/L or less Total acid level (converted to tartaric acid value) 4.5 g/L or more 4.5 g/L or more Effervescence Including effervescent wines Excluding effervescent wines
(Note) “Chaptalized” means that saccharides are added by the production method specified in Article 3, item 13 (b) or (c) of the Liquor Tax Act.
- a. Sensory factors
- (2) Essential attribution of its geographical origin to characteristics of liquor
- a. Natural factors
Nagano Prefecture is located in the central part of Honshu and surrounded by high mountains with an altitude over 2,000 m and 3,000 m, namely the Hida Mountains (Northern Japan Alps) on the northwest and the Akaishi Mountains (Southern Japan Alps) on the southeast. Also the Kiso Mountains (Central Japan Alps) are in the central part of Nagano Prefecture, and the land is steep and complex with many mountains all over the prefecture. Most of the total area is covered by mountains and the average altitude is over 1,000 m.
Rainfall and snowfall in these high mountains formulate many rivers in this steep land. Particularly with respect to the Chikumagawa River and the Saigawa River flowing to the northeast and the Tenryugawa River originating from the Suwa Lake located in the central part of the prefecture and flowing to the south, many basins are formulated along the rivers and cities and farmland spread along those basins.
In alluvial fans at the rims of basins, the soil containing pebbles and sand has high penetration with good drainage. Because the prefecture is surrounded by high mountains, it is less subject to the rainy season and typhoons, and annual rainfall is about 1,000 mm, which is one of the lowest in Japan. The cumulative hours of daylight during the grape growing season from April to October are about 1,200 hours, and the weather is fine on many days compared with other parts of the nation, resulting in less occurrence of diseases or poor growth caused by high humidity or sunlight shortage.
Many grape growing regions are at a high altitude over 500 m, and the climate there is generally cool with a great temperature difference between day and night. According to the classification presented by Amerine & Winkler (University of California, Davis), grape growing regions in Nagano Prefecture are roughly classified into Region 1 through Region 3 and are suitable for growing European grape varieties, which grow in a relatively cool climate.
This cool climate condition with a great temperature difference between day and night gives white wine grapes moderate organic acid and a high sugar content, and gives red wine grapes a high anthocyanin content and high quality; the grape production volume of the prefecture is one of the largest in Japan. - b. Human factors
Nagano Prefecture has a long history of grape growing, as people in Yamabe-mura (current Yamabe area in Matsumoto-shi) in the Edo period were already growing the Koshu grape.
In the Meiji era, the growing of fruits and winemaking were promoted in Nagano in the course of encouragement of new industries by the government, and it is said that in 1879, Mr. Shinzaburo Toyoshima living in Yamabe-mura succeeded in growing an American variety. In Shiojiri and Kikyogahara (current Kikyogahara area in Shiojiri-shi; hereinafter referred to as “Kikyogahara”), Mr. Rikiji Toyoshima who was an adopted son of Mr. Shinzaburo Toyoshima moved to Kikyogahara when cultivation started in 1869, and started to grow mainly the Concord grape in earnest in 1890.
In Kikyogahara, Mr. Goichi Hayashi started to grow the Merlot grape in 1951 and creatively established the growing of this grape, and in 1989, a wine made from the Merlot grape produced in this region gained a Gold Award in an internationally recognized wine contest, making Kikyogahara famous for the place of producing the Merlot grape.
In 1970s, the growing of European grape varieties started in the region of Shioda, Ueda-shi and Komoro-shi as well as the region of Obuse-machi, Takayama-mura, and Suzaka-shi under contracts with major wineries, and then the growing of wine grapes spread over all Nagano Prefecture.
In 2003, a small-sized winery engaging in all the processes from the growing of grapes to winemaking (hereinafter referred to as “Boutique Winery”) was established in Tobu-machi, Nagano Prefecture (current Tomi-shi), and in 2015, Chikumagawa Wine Academy was opened to support the establishment of wineries by private companies, resulting in successive establishment of Boutique Wineries all over Nagano Prefecture and making winemaking more popular in Nagano Prefecture.
In 2002, the Nagano Prefectural Government established the Nagano Appellation Control. This system aims to differentiate agricultural products based on raw materials, growing methods, breeding methods, and sense of taste and promote the sale thereof to consumers with confidence and responsibilities, and also to promote the motivation for production for the purpose of branding agricultural products produced in Nagano Prefecture. Since the time of establishment of the system, it has given certification to wines, contributing to clarifying the quality of wines unique to Nagano that leads to “Nagano Wine Premium.”
In 2013, wine production regions in Nagano Prefecture were classified into four categories, namely the Kikyogahara Wine Valley, the Chikumagawa Wine Valley, the Japan Alps Wine Valley, and the Tenryugawa Wine Valley, and the industry-academia-government cooperation has been promoting wine by taking measures such as the preparation of the Shinshu Wine Valley Scheme, which aims to promote the wine industry and branding in the entire Nagano Prefecture.
As stated above, winemaking in Nagano has been developed together with grape growing through active studies on the methods of growing varieties suitable for the climate and natural features of each region, winemaking methods suitable for each variety, and other matters; this is a factor that formulates the characteristics of liquor, which clearly show the natural flavor properties of each grape variety.
- a. Natural factors
Ⅱ Matters relating to ingredients and production method of liquor
For the use of geographical indication “長野 (Nagano),” the following requirements must be met.
- (1) Ingredients
- a.Fruit for use must be only grapes of the varieties specified below that are harvested in Nagano Prefecture.
(a) Vinifera varieties
Group A: Merlot, Chardonnay
Group B: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Kerner, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Semillon, Muller Thurgau, Sangiovese, Syrah, Viognier, Barbera, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Bacchus, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Petit Manseng, Albarino, Marselan, Chenin blanc, Schonburger
Group C: Zala Gyongye, Zweigelt-Rebe, Dornfelder
(b) Labrusca varieties
Group A: Seibel 13053, Seibel 9110
Group B: Delaware
Group C: Concord, Niagara
(c) Japanese crossbred varieties
Group A: Asama Merlot
Group B: Sun Semillon, Shinano Riesling
Group C: Chardonnay de Corail
Group D: Muscat Bailey A, Black Queen, Shokoshi, Yama Sauvignon
Group E: Ryugan, Koshu
Group F: Wine Grand, Kokuho 3-go, White Pegal, Black Pegal, Vitis coignetiae other than grapes listed above (Amurensis, Coignetiae, etc.)
Group G: Kyoho
- b. No water must be used as a raw material.
- c. Fruit for use must meet the requirements shown in the table below with regard to its juice sugar content.
If the weather is bad during the grape growing season, the required juice sugar content for each variety may be decreased by 1.0% only with regard to grapes harvested within the calendar year containing the grape growing season.Grape variety Nagano Wine Subdivision Nagano Wine Premium Effervescent wines Vinifera varieties Group A 17.0% or more 19.0% or more 15.0% or more Group B 18.0% or more Group C 17.0% or more Labrusca varieties Group A 17.0% or more 17.0% or more 15.0% or more Group B 15.0% or more 18.0% or more 12.0% or more Group C 16.0% or more Japanese crossbred varieties Group A 17.0% or more 19.0% or more 15.0% or more Group B 18.0% or more Group C 17.0% or more Group D 16.0% or more 18.0% or more 13.0% or more Group E 17.0% or more Group F 16.0% or more Group G 15.0% or more 16.0% or more 12.0% or more - Ingredients for use must be ones specified as raw materials for fruit liquor by Article 3, item 13 of the Liquor Tax Act.
Brandy, alcohol, spirits, saccharides or flavoring agents specified in Article 3, item 13 (d) of the same Act may be used only when the requirements shown in the table below are met.Nagano Wine Nagano Wine Premium Brandy Brandy may be used only when it is added into a container after fermentation, where the wine has been fermented in the container and is planned to be shipped without being transferred to another container. Not permitted for use Alcohol Not permitted for use Not permitted for use Spirits Not permitted for use Not permitted for use Saccharides Limited to sugar, glucose, or fructose Limited to sugar Flavoring agents Limited to grape juice or concentrated grape juice (limited to those produced only from grapes harvested in Nagano Prefecture) Limited to juice or concentrated juice of grapes that are the same variety as those used as ingredients and are harvested in the same calendar year in the same region (in the same scope of municipality).
- a.Fruit for use must be only grapes of the varieties specified below that are harvested in Nagano Prefecture.
- (2) Production method
- a.Wines must be produced in Nagano Prefecture by the method of producing “fruit liquor” specified in Article 3, item 13 of the Liquor Tax Act and be “Japanese wine” specified in paragraph 1, item 3 of the Standard for Indication of Production Method and Quality of Fruit Liquor, etc. (National Tax Agency’s Public Notice No. 18 of October 2015)..
- b. When saccharides are added in accordance with the production method specified in Article 3, item 13 (b) and (c) of the Liquor Tax Act, the total weight of the added saccharides must meet the requirements shown in the table below.
Grape variety Nagano Wine Subdivision Nagano Wine Premium Vinifera varieties Group A 7g/100ml 5g/100ml Group B 6g/100ml Group C 7g/100ml Labrusca varieties Group A 7g/100ml 7g/100ml Group B 9g/100ml 6g/100ml Group C 8g/100ml Japanese crossbred varieties Group A 7g/100ml 5g/100ml Group B 6g/100ml Group C 7g/100ml Group D 8g/100ml 6g/100ml Group E 7g/100ml Group F 8g/100ml Group G 9g/100ml 8g/100ml - c. When saccharides are added in accordance with the production method specified in Article 3, item 13 (d) of the Liquor Tax Act, the total weight of the added saccharides must not exceed the weight specified in (a) or (b) below, whichever is the lower.
(a) Wight obtained by deducting the weight of the saccharides added under b. above from the weight of saccharides contained in the fruit
(b) 10-100ths of the total weight of the saccharides to be added and the liquor before the addition of saccharides - d. When a flavoring agent specified in Article 3, item 13 (d) of the Liquor Tax Act is added, the weight of saccharides contained in the added flavoring agent must not exceed 10-100ths of the weight of the fruit liquor after the addition of the flavoring agent.
- e. For the addition of acid and use of acid removing agents, the requirements shown in the table below shall be met.
Nagano Wine Nagano Wine Premium Addition of acid When the total acid level of juice used as an ingredient is 7.5 g/L or more Not permitted Not permitted When the total acid level of juice used as an ingredient is less than 7.5 g/L Acid not exceeding 4.0 g/L may be added as the minimum necessary addition of acid to adjust pH for the purpose of stabilizing colors, adjusting sulfurous acid, or otherwise preserving the quality. Acid not exceeding 2.0 g/L may be added as the minimum necessary addition of acid to adjust pH for the purpose of stabilizing colors, adjusting sulfurous acid, or otherwise preserving the quality. Removal of acid Acid removing agents may be used until the total acid level is reduced by 2.0 g/L. Not permitted - f. In the process of production, wines must be stored within Nagano Prefecture.
- g. Bottling must be completed within Nagano Prefecture with containers planned to be delivered to customers.
Ⅲ Matters relating to management for maintaining the characteristics of liquor
- (1)
In order to use geographical indication (GI) “長野 (Nagano),” the liquor that uses the GI is required to be confirmed by the following control body (hereinafter referred to as the “Control Body”) pursuant to the guidelines for work implementation prepared by the Control Body as to whether the relevant liquor satisfies “Matters relating to the characteristics of liquor with which is essentially attributable to its geographical origin” and “Matters relating to the ingredients and production method of liquor” by the time the relevant liquor is shipped to places (excluding places subject to the provision of Article 28, paragraph 1 of the Liquor Tax Act) from its brewing place (including places deemed as brewing places with the permit to produce liquor by the provision of Article 28, paragraph 6 or Article 28-3, paragraph 4 of the Liquor Tax Act [Act No. 6 of 1953]).
Name of the Control Body: Nagano Appellation Control Committee
Address: 692-2 Aza Habashita, Oaza Minami-Nagano, Nagano-shi c/o Japanese Sake and Wine Promotion Office
Telephone: 026-235-7126 - (2) If the Control Body deems that the weather was bad during the grape growing season, the Control Body shall immediately announce to that effect in accordance with the guidelines for work implementation.
- (3)
When affixing an indication of the following matters together with an indication clearly shown as the geographical indication on the container or package of the liquor confirmed under (1), the indication must be affixed in accordance with the guidelines for work implementation.
a. Indication of the name of grape variety
b. Indication of “Nagano Wine Premium”
Ⅳ Matters relating liquor classes
Wine
Seishu / Sake
Ⅰ Matters relating the characteristics of liquor which is essentially attributable to its geographical origin
- (1) Characteristics of liquor
Sake of Nagano generally has a rich taste with little miscellaneous tastes, harmonizing with a beautiful, mild aroma.
The rich taste like concentrated umami of rice spreads in your mouth together with sweetness and acidity, and it is enhanced by lack of miscellaneous tastes, giving you satisfaction even when you drink seishu without dishes, but drinking it with dishes having a rich taste can deepen umami of the dishes.
In addition, a beautiful, mild aroma creates an environment in your mouth where you can concentrate on the taste without hindering the flavor of dishes, and gives a beautiful, mild aftertaste.
- (2) Essential attribution of its geographical origin to characteristics of liquor
- a.Natural factors
Nagano Prefecture is located in the central part of Honshu and surrounded by high mountains with an altitude over 2,000 m and 3,000 m, namely the Hida Mountains (Northern Japan Alps) on the northwest and the Akaishi Mountains (Southern Japan Alps) on the southeast. Also the Kiso Mountains (Central Japan Alps) are in the central part of Nagano Prefecture, and the land is steep and complex with many mountains all over the prefecture. Most of the total area is covered by mountains and the average altitude is over 1,000 m.
Rainfall and snowfall in these high mountains formulate many rivers in this steep land. Particularly with respect to the Chikumagawa River and the Saigawa River flowing to the northeast and the Tenryugawa River originating from the Suwa Lake located in the central part of the prefecture and flowing to the south, many basins are formulated along the rivers and cities and farmland spread along those basins.
Due to the regions’ inland climate and location at a high altitude, the regions have relatively long hours of daylight and high temperature from July to August, but the temperature tends to drop down at night, resulting a great temperature difference between day and night. This makes rice rich in starch, which is suitable for sake brewing.
In addition, the regions are surrounded by high mountains and therefore are little affected by typhoons and rainfall during the rice growing season; this fact and their cool climate tend to reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests and can suppress the use of agricultural chemicals for rice growing.
Because of this natural environment suitable for rice growing, the ratio of first-grade rice under the inspection standards provided in the Agricultural Products Inspection Act is very high with regard to unpolished rice harvested in Nagano Prefecture compared with those produced in other parts of the nation.
Such good-quality rice and clear water flowing from ones of the highest mountains in Japan are used to brew seishu of Nagano, and it is a factor that generates a rich taste with little miscellaneous tastes, harmonizing with a beautiful, mild aroma. - b.Human factors
Nagano Prefecture has heavy snowfall and are surrounded by high mountains, and therefore people had difficulty in obtaining food in winter and developed fermented foods such as miso and pickles as well as various other preserved foods from a long time ago. Dishes were often highly seasoned by using those preserved foods, and sake brewers aimed to create sake having a mild aroma and a rich taste.
In the Meiji era, it seems that sake was brewed by also employing chief brewers (Toji) in other prefectures who had good reputation of brewing high-quality sake, and later the Nagano Prefectural Government assigned full-time sake brewing technicians to the agriculture and commerce section and thereby started to provide guidance on brewing in 1917 and started to hold seminars to provide education to local chief brewers in 1919 with the aim to develop local chief brewers and improve brewing techniques for the promotion of local industry.
In 1941, the Nagano Prefectural Brewing Experiment Station was established to play a core role in developing brewing techniques and performed various activities such as the development of new yeast that contributed to the improvement of brewers in the prefecture. In recent years, the Nagano Prefecture General Industrial Technology Center in cooperation with the Nagano Sake Brewery Association provides new employees of breweries with the “licensed brewer development course” for the development of successors.
In 2002, the Nagano Prefectural Government established the Nagano Appellation Control. This system aims to differentiate agricultural products based on raw materials, growing methods, breeding methods, and sense of taste and promote the sale thereof to consumers with confidence and responsibilities, and also to promote the motivation for production for the purpose of branding agricultural products produced in Nagano Prefecture. Since 2003, it has given certification to seishu, contributing to clarifying the quality of seishu unique to Nagano.
As stated above, the characteristics have been maintained and improved through the implementation of measures to develop human resources and improve brewing techniques in cooperation between public sector, private sector and the community.
- a.Natural factors
Ⅱ Matters relating to ingredients and production method of liquor
- (1) Ingredients
- a. Rice and malted rice for use must be polished rice (limited to rice whose rice bran is wholly or partially removed within Nagano Prefecture) that is processed from unpolished rice harvested within Nagano Prefecture (limited to unpolished rice rated as the third grade or above under the Agricultural Products Inspection Act [Act No. 144 of 1951]).
- b.Water for use must be taken only within Nagano Prefecture.
- c. Ingredients for use must be ones specified as raw materials for “seishu” by Article 3, item 7 of the Liquor Tax Act.
However, of raw materials for seishu specified by Article 2 of the Order of Enforcement of the Liquor Tax Act, no ingredients other than alcohol must be used (limited to the case of using alcohol when the weight of alcohol out of the ingredients does not exceed 50-100ths of the weight of rice (including yeast rice)).
- (2) Production method
- a. Sake must be one that was produced by the production methods of seishu stipulated by Article 3, item 7 (a) or (b) of the Liquor Tax Act within Nagano Prefecture.
- b. In the process of production, sake must be stored within Nagano Prefecture.
- c. Bottling must be completed within Nagano Prefecture with containers planned to be delivered to consumers.
Ⅲ Matters relating to management for maintaining the characteristics of liquor
- In order to use geographical indication (GI) “長野 (Nagano),” the liquor that uses the GI is required to be confirmed by the following control body (hereinafter referred to as the “Control Body”) pursuant to the guidelines for work implementation prepared by the Control Body as to whether the relevant liquor satisfies “Matters relating to the characteristics of liquor with which is essentially attributable to its geographical origin” and “Matters relating to the ingredients and production method of liquor” by the time the relevant liquor is shipped to places (excluding places subject to the provision of Article 28, paragraph 1 of the Liquor Tax Act) from its brewing place (including places
Name of the Control Body: Nagano Appellation Control Committee
Address: 692-2 Aza Habashita, Oaza Minami-Nagano, Nagano-shi c/o Japanese Sake
and Wine Promotion Office
Telephone: 026-235-7126
Ⅳ Matters relating liquor classes
Seishu / sake (Article 3, Item 7 of the Liquor Tax Act)
