A Journey to Savor Cave d'Occi

On an early morning with a hint of winter in the air, the NIHON WINE.JP editorial team gathered at a location in Tokyo.
Our destination: the "Niigata Wine Coast."

Blessed with unexpectedly mild and warm weather, our car glided smoothly along the road.

A few hours later, unopened ski resorts waiting for snow appeared along the highway.
Then, vast expanses of rice paddies emerged.
Scenery that truly made us feel we had arrived in Niigata welcomed us.

After exiting the highway, we drove along a slightly narrower local national route.

Since it is called a "Wine Coast," we thought we would be driving along the sea, but the ocean was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, we turned into narrow roads that felt somewhat mountainous.

"Could there really be a winery in a place like this?"
Holding onto this feeling of uncertainty, we gazed at the Niigata sky through the car window.

Continuing on with these thoughts for a while, a vast wine grape vineyard suddenly appeared right before our eyes.

Further down the road, Cave d'Occi—the winery serving as our base camp for this trip—was waiting for us.

What kind of winery could it be?
Suppressing our excitement, we set up our camera equipment and began our coverage!

What is Cave d'Occi?

Many of you may have heard of this winery, a prominent leader in Niigata wine.
Equipped with accommodations, it is also a pioneer that laid the foundation for wine tourism in Japan.

Even during a time when going out and traveling remain difficult, to thoroughly convey the appeal of Cave d'Occi to all our NIHON WINE.JP readers, we first spoke with winemaker Mr. Kakegawa.

Thrilled by the Charming Accommodations!

Cave d'Occi features two accommodation facilities: "VINESPA," complete with natural hot springs, and the quintessential auberge "TRAVIGNE."

This time, wine personality Yui shared the appeal of Travigne with us.

Furthermore, a column about her stay experiencehas also been written. Be sure to check it out as well.
You might find yourself wanting to make a reservation right away!

Savoring Restaurant Travigne

When it comes to winery tours, expectations for the dining experience are often high.

A variety of dishes paired with wines from the winery—just imagining it is enough to make your mouth water...

At Restaurant Travigne, located on the winery grounds, you can enjoy authentic French cuisine paired with wines from CAVE D'OCCI and neighboring wineries.

It is truly an auberge!

Please watch the video highlighting the appeal of this dinner.

Wine Tourism Exists Right Here

I have covered many wineries over the years, but this was my first time encountering one crafted to such a high degree of perfection. I was deeply impressed by how it truly embodies "wine tourism."

Also, as Mr. Kakegawa mentioned in his talk, another attractive feature is that several other wineries are clustered within a few minutes' walk.

Many guests reportedly stay for two or three days to relax and immerse themselves in the wine and hot springs.

When living in a metropolis like Tokyo for a long time, I'm sure I am not the only one who feels somewhat worn down.

At times like that, how about embarking on a wine journey to refresh yourself, surrounded by the vineyards and wines of the Niigata Wine Coast and CAVE D'OCCI?

Note: Some portions were filmed with special permission for this feature. When visiting, please follow the winery's instructions.