About 10 years ago, when I was working in Onomichi, Hiroshima, I heard a rumor that there was a restaurant that served natural wine, which was rare in the area at the time.

The glass windows were covered with grape vines, giving it a cool appearance, but it also had a somewhat adult feel to it, so I didn't have the courage to open the door...I ended up not going for a while, but then a senior colleague from work invited me in, and my wish came true as I was able to sneak inside the store.

We were served white wine and orange wine, and when I put it in my mouth, I was greeted with a complex aroma that is difficult to describe in a single word, and the feeling of it smoothly melting into my body after it went down my throat was very pleasant.I clearly remember the taste of natural wine for the first time.

I had no idea that such a delicious drink existed! My image of wine as somehow difficult to drink and something I didn't like was completely overturned.

I started enjoying natural wine more and more because I simply liked it because it was delicious, and one day someone asked me, "What kind of wine do you like?", which made me want to try to find a wine that I liked.

I started out not really knowing the difference between white and red wine, let alone the varieties and origins, so I would buy a few books on natural wine, and if I found a wine that caught my eye, I would take a drive to the next town on the weekend to buy it and try comparing the tastes.

▲A photo taken at a natural wine event held in front of Hiroshima PARCO

Finding what I love felt like going on a journey, and I began to love natural wine more and more.

At that time, there were few opportunities to try natural wine in rural areas, so I would travel by bullet train or sometimes by plane to attend events.

At a natural wine store in Sapporo (the next day we were attending a natural wine event in Asahikawa)

Natural wine is said to be wine made using methods that put as little strain on nature as possible ( although this goes deeper than that ) , but even if it is made from grapes of the same variety and location, the taste will differ depending on the maker, production method, and year.

They don't make products from a consumer's perspective, such as following market trends or stabilizing the taste, but rather from a producer's perspective ( thoughts ) that respects the soil and all aspects of the global environment and captures what the earth produces just as it is in each bottle. I was drawn to and fell in love with this simple, rock-esque belief ( personal opinion ) .

They don't have the concept that "it has to be a certain way, this is the correct answer to what is delicious," and they accept that it is natural that there are different tastes that you like, different tastes that others like, and all kinds of individual personalities, and they are unpretentious and very free-spirited.

I love the worldview of natural wine, and I hope to expand and connect with such warm relationships through my interactions.

▲ A dish of prosciutto and corn simply seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper

At home, I always keep a few bottles of natural wine on hand, and I also have a few wine snack recipes that I can make quickly and easily when friends come over.

▲ Sometimes we enjoy being outside with a picnic.

For me, natural wine is an essential part of my life, and I want to continue to cherish the time and meals I spend with it.