How Japanese whiskey went from curiosity to international sensation, and perfect French, U.S., and Italian wines to buy while they’re young

by Neil Shrodo

GREAT VINTAGES ON THE HORIZON
Bordeaux. This classic French region has recently experienced near perfect growing seasons the resulting wines rich and bold, but precise in flavor and style. Try the Chateau Saint Emilion de Quintus 2016 ($39.99, on sale), one you can drink immediately, or age for five or more years.

The Rhone. 2016 was a stunner for both northern and southern regions, with an especially long growing season and superb weather prevailing, so start grabbing those Chateauneuf du Papes! Look for Beaucastel CdP ($89.99) or Crous St Martin CdP ($34.99) and you simply cannot go wrong.

California. Starting in Napa, three great vintages in a row start with the 2014, and just get better in the following two years, a trend mirrored in Sonoma as well. 2016 Chardonnays were great in Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara. Check out the Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon ($44.99). Dark garnet in color, its aromas include freshly picked blueberries with notes of roasted coffee. In flavor, luscious tannins are layered with juicy blackberry and red fruit.

Italy. You’ve got very good drinking vintages in both the north and south for 2016. Look for Dolcettos and Barberas from the Piedmont, and Chiantis and blends from Tuscany. Try the Oddero Barbera 2016 ($18.99) as a terrific place to start, from one of the finest wineries in Barolo.

ORANGE WE CURIOUS?
Orange wines are a hot trend in organic production, one that applies ancient techniques (some nearly 5,000 years old) from the Georgia’s Caucasus mountains. White grapes there are still crushed and then fermented with skins and seeds intact for up to a year, resulting in a rich, bold wine that has flavors of jackfruit, hazelnut, juniper, and orange rind. Intense and unique, they’re similar to the wines of Jura in France, and have gained in popularity for another reason, too: they have virtually no preservatives because of natural oxidization during production. Flavor intensity means they serve well with cuisines normally hard to pair with (due to spice and heat), like Ethiopian, Korean, Moroccan, and Japanese, and they work with proteins from beef to fi sh. Made in small numbers in a number of countries like Italy, Georgia, Slovenia, South Africa, Australia, and the United States, some are quite rare and expensive. On the more reasonable end, look to Austria and Eschenhof Holzer’s “Invaders” Orange ($18.99), made from Muller Thurgau grapes dry and full bodied, with flavors of ripe peaches, apples, and a kiss of lemon lime touched with spices.

KANPAI
Japanese whisky is one of the hottest spirits in the U.S. today, but less than 20 years ago was virtually unheard of on these shores, and rarely exported. “Scotch” made in Japan dates back to the 1920s, when Shinjiro Torii established the company that would become Suntory, and built his country’s fi rst distillery. He chose the perfect place: Yamazaki is famed for its water quality, a key part of the process. He hired Masataka Taketsuru, who had spent time in Scotland in the early 1920s learning distillation and aging, and together they built the operation. In 1934, Taketsuru decided to build his own, established Nikka Distillery in Hokkaido, and became Suntory’s main rival.

Japanese whiskey was almost exclusively drunk domestically until 2001, when Nikka’s 10 year Yoichi single malt was submitted to Whisky Magazine, and to everyone’s surprise won its “Best of the Best!” nod. This was followed in 2003 by Suntory’s 18 year Yamazaki taking the gold in the International Spirits Challenge. The rivalry had burst onto the global stage. Nowadays, both whiskeys are hard to come by, so here are some selections that will ease you into the genre.

Suntory Toki. A blend of the maker’s three main distilleries (Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita), mixed to be smooth, and just perfect in a highball. Aromas of orchard fruits pair with flavors of citrus fruits, herbs, almonds, and a kiss of vanilla on the finish. $35.99

Nikka Coey Grain. Single grain whiskeys distilled in a Coffey still (a column still patented by Aeneas Coffey in 1830). Closer to bourbon than scotch, it’s a grand introduction to the quality of Nikka’s whiskeys. ($59.99, on sale)

Kaiyo 7 Year Old “The Single.” A superb single malt, finished in Japan’s own Mizunara Oak barrels. This imparts a unique sweet yet spicy flavor, loaded with vanilla overtones that integrate well with the grain. ($49.99)