"スリーピークス," a winery in Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture.
It is a popular winery that enriches our daily lives by staying close to the climate, nature, and food culture of Ofunato.
With a history of awards at famous domestic wine competitions and its wines being featured at prestigious restaurants, the quality of wine made by スリーピークス is guaranteed.
While this winery brews such special wines, it also aims to create a scene where "Japanese wine" can be enjoyed more familiarly and freely, rather than making wine something reserved only for special occasions.
This time, we introduce pouch wines filled with the passion of スリーピークス.
We actually used them as an accompaniment to a food and drink walk.
About Pouch Wine
The pouch wine of スリーピークス is "Japanese wine" in a "just right" size.
Inside is the popular series "Umimachi Wine," which highlights the natural aroma and acidity of the fruit along with a minerality that pairs easily with Sanriku seafood.
It comes in three varieties—Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris—and it is delightful that it is an authentic Japanese wine with zero compromise on quality.
The volume is a convenient 190 ml (about two glasses), and being a pouch, it is lightweight, durable, and compact, making it easy to carry around, store, and dispose of after drinking.
While it is easy to use for everyday dining, the recommended way is "outdoor use," such as BBQ, outdoor scenes, watching sports, or taking on a food walk.
To experience pouch wine more casually, we took it along on a holiday food walk.
If you've ever wanted to casually go on a food walk alone with a glass of wine in hand, please use this as a guide.
Food Walking with Merlot and Chardonnay
The pouch wines we used as companions for this food walk were and .
is a red wine characterized by dark fruit aromas reminiscent of dark berries, featuring a smooth mouthfeel, fruitiness, and refreshing acidity.
The tannins give it a surprisingly solid structure, allowing you to enjoy a rich flavor profile.
has a juicy finish with citrus nuances like lemon alongside tropical hints like pineapple.
It is a high-quality Chardonnay with a well-balanced mix of natural fruit acidity, sweetness, and a subtle touch of bitterness in the aftertaste.
Now, pouch wine in hand, we visited the "Yanaka Ginza" area, popular for its traditional downtown atmosphere.
Among it, the Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street, where numerous shops line a stretch of about 170 meters, is known worldwide as one of Tokyo's top food-walking spots.
It is also famous as a mecca for drinking walks, where many people can be seen purchasing food at shops and pairing it with their own drinks.
On a certain weekday afternoon, we wandered through Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street in search of snacks to pair with and .
Here are the recommended pouch wine pairings that I personally found to be the best.
× Rock Oyster
When it comes to スリーピークス's , pairing with seafood is an absolute must.
In Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street, there is a fishmonger where you can freely enjoy standing drinks with your own alcohol after buying products, attracting many drink lovers on weekends.
Miraculously, rock oysters were on sale that day, so without hesitation, we paired them with .
Rock oysters lightly dressed with ponzu sauce paired with are, needless to say, an outstanding match.
The citrus nuances and minerality share a great affinity, with the rich sweetness and creaminess unique to rock oysters resonating with the fruitiness of Chardonnay.
The acidity of cleanly washes away the oceanic sea breeze flavor of the rock oyster, while leaving a subtly pleasant oyster aftertaste, which is another highlight.
It is a superb pairing that feels like you could keep eating endlessly.
× Red Pickled Ginger Tempura
Hearing with tempura might make you think, "Huh?", but that is where Japanese wine comes in.
The aroma is delicate rather than overpowering, with a good balance of fruit sweetness and acidity, and since the tannins are clearly felt, it handles oily tempura effortlessly as long as you choose the right ingredients.
At long-established tempura shops in Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street, you can eat right away after buying from the showcase. (You can also add salt or soy sauce freely.)
Keeping the fruitiness of in mind, we chose red pickled ginger tempura this time.
An unexpected pairing where the sweet-sourness and tartness of red pickled ginger, combined with the sweetness of the batter, match well with .
When the juicy sweet-sour flavor of the red pickled ginger tempura is combined with , the flavor elevates to an even juicier profile.
The oiliness of the tempura is cut by the tannins in , leaving a crisp aftertaste.
You can enjoy a pairing experience different from sake.
× Curry Bread
We pair with curry bread from a popular bakery in Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street.
It is an addictive curry bread with a great balance of sweetness and spiciness, featuring a crunchy & chewy texture.
Since the curry has a tropical feel, we paired it with , which also has nuances of tropical fruit.
The flavor of fried bread and its chewy texture are an outstanding match with the fruit sweetness and acidity of Chardonnay.
Although the curry is slightly spicy, the natural sweetness of the ingredients can be felt, creating high affinity and zero awkwardness with the natural fruit sweetness of .
The acidity of also reduces the oily aftertaste, making it feel like you could eat any number of them.
× Menchi-katsu
When talking about the specialty of Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street, menchi-katsu comes to mind.
At some shops, long lines form just to get menchi-katsu.
If you are eating menchi-katsu on a food walk, there is no companion other than .
The juicy meat umami, meat juices, and onion sweetness pair superbly with the fruitiness of .
In , you can also taste an umami characteristic of Japanese wine, creating a synergistic effect with the umami of menchi-katsu that makes it taste even more delicious.
At the same time, the acidity of thoroughly cuts through the oiliness of the menchi-katsu, resulting in a clean, light pairing without feeling heavy.
Menchi-katsu is delicious on its own, but adding sauce makes the compatibility with even better.
The pairing of Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street's menchi-katsu with is at a level that deserves to be passed down as a classic, unbeatable combination.
Enjoy Food Walking with Pouch Wine!
The charm of スリーピークス's pouch wine is that it is convenient yet offers authentic flavor.
Furthermore, it is crafted so that you can clearly feel the elegance and umami typical of Japanese wine, allowing it to pair with a wide range of dishes.
At food-walking spots like Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street visited this time, you can enjoy foods of various genres.
By having both the red wine and the white wine ready, the possibilities for pairing with any food are sure to expand.
Even if you have no experience going on a food walk with wine in hand, スリーピークス's pouch wine makes it easy to accomplish right away.
Why not take this opportunity to try スリーピークス's pouch wine?
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