Europe offers Japan premium alcohol and glassware
Like many consumer markets in Japan, the one for alcohol has fragmented into a low-end, price-cutting segment and a high-end market that remains strong and profitable. European makers of luxury wines, beer and spirits – as well as the glasses to enjoy them from – are at the forefront of the sector.
“The Japanese market has the world’s highest proportion of prestige Champagne as a percentage of overall sales, accounting for 11.5%; it is also a big market for rose Champagne, which accounts for 13%,” explains Ken Moroi, chief executive officer of Vranken Japan, the local operation of global Champagne specialist, Vranken Pommery Monopole.
“Tokyo has the most Michelin stars of any city, as well as a high concentration of prestige hotels,” points out Moroi.
The company is now the second-largest Champagne company in the world, and the largest grower of European wines. Since its acquisition of Listel, it is also a major player in the high-end rose market, as well as offering a range of other still wines and ports.
“What gives Vranken an edge is our full Champagne portfolio,” says Moroi.
The Vranken Champagne stable includes the Pommery, Heidsieck & Co. Monopole, Demoiselle and Diamant brands, which all contain a range of white, rose and vintage Champagnes.
Vranken opened its Japan office in 2007 after using local distributors (which it still has working relationships with) for many years
One of Moroi’s goals for the future, he says, is to see more pairing of Champagne with Japanese food, and not just European cuisine.
Not just a glass
Whether with Japanese or European food, experts insist luxury alcohol should be enjoyed from quality glasses to fully appreciate each’s taste, aroma and appearance.
Austrian glassmaker Riedel, which was established in 1756, first created glasses shaped specifically for different varieties of wine.
“The wine’s taste, bouquet and balance are all affected by the shape of the glass, which determines the way the wine enters the mouth,” explains Wolfgang Angyal, president of Riedel Japan.
“The shape of the rim and the body of the glass dictate how much wine will go to certain parts of the palette. For example, whether the wine goes first to the tip of the tongue or the side of the tongue creates a totally different taste picture. This is related to the acidity, tannins, fruit and alcohol of the wine,” says Angyal.
“Whenever wine goes to a different place in your mouth, it creates a different first impression. The first impression is the most important because it sends a taste picture to your brain,” he adds
Different kinds of wine each have a certain shape of glass with optimum affinity, according to Angyal.
Riedel glasses are designed not in a laboratory, but at workshops with winemakers and wine experts where they blind-test various wines in glasses of different shapes for both taste and aroma.
“The human element is crucial; you can’t just put data into a computer,” says Angyal. “Japanese customers are very brand-driven, but also willing to try new products and brands.”
Space-conscious
The history of Zwiesel Kristallglas dates back to the 19th century; the company began making wine glasses in 1872 in the town of Zwiesel in Bavaria.
The company has three main brands: Zwiesel 1872, a collection of mouth-blown premium crystal glasses, decanters and interior items; Schott Zwiesel, a range of durable crystal glass products, using patented Tritan technology that is primarily aimed at restaurants, bars and hotels; and Jenaer Glas, glassware accessories made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass such as utensils, dishes, tableware and tea sets.
“The strength and flexibility of our glasses, helped by the use of titanium in their manufacture, allows them to withstand the repeated washing that happens in hotels and restaurants, while retaining the brilliance of the glass,” explains Roberto Pleitavino, head of Zwiesel Japan.
One of the company’s best-selling ranges is its Vina collection; the wine glasses appeal well to space-conscious Japanese customers.
“The glasses are not so tall, so they are a good fit for some Japanese bars and homes, where space is often limited and size is very important,” says Pleitavino.
Keeping glasses crystal clear is also vital for sommeliers that visually check for impurities in wines when tasting them, according to Pleitavino.
The company also produces a range of glasses for premium beer, designed to bring out the best in different brews. “It’s the same principle as that for wine glasses,” says Pleitavino.
While Zwiesel also sells glasses for cognac, grappa and desert wines – though mostly for the trade rather than retail customers – wineglasses remain its flagship product.
“If you have a really good wine, it deserves a really good glass,” says Pleitavino. “On the other hand, if you have an affordable wine, you can kind of upgrade it through using a quality glass. It really does make it taste better.”