Budoshu was an alcoholic drink from premodern Japan made of fermented grapes. What makes it different from wine? Hannah Kirshner travelled to Yamanashi prefecture, home of Japan’s wine industry, to find out exactly that, unearthing the country’s deep history with wine in the process. After meeting with Hitoshi Mitsumori, a farmer part of a collective that makes budoshu, she concludes there’s no difference between the two drinks; even the supposed difference between grape varieties used doesn’t distinguish them, as some wines are made with table grape varieties too. Read full article here
