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- Kenzo Estate Brings a Slice of Napa to Roppongi Hills
Kenzo Estate Brings a Slice of Napa to Roppongi Hills
May 02, 2014
KENZO ESTATE Tasting Room opened this past November.
The goal of the Roppongi Hills location is to bring a piece of Napa to Tokyo residents by creating a space in which they can relax while enjoying a variety of different wines.
After purchasing the estate—a former equestrian training center—in 1990, Mr. Tsujimoto planted about 100 acres of vineyards, completing the winery in time for the 2009 harvest.
Living in Tokyo, we are spoiled with a huge variety of top-notch restaurants, cafes and bars serving some of the best food and drinks in the world. I love trying out new places, and so far none of the establishments at Roppongi Hills have failed to impress.
So when Kenzo Estate opened a tasting room at Roppongi Hills last November, I was eager to check it out. Since then, it has become one of my favorite places to grab a glass of wine and a bite while catching up with friends.
On my first visit to Kenzo Estate I got to talking with a sommelier who works for the winery. In addition to being a very enjoyable conversation, the chat I had with him also enriched my experience at the tasting room by providing insights into the estate and the wines that I otherwise would not have known.
The goal of the Roppongi Hills location is to bring a piece of Napa to Tokyo residents by creating a space in which they can relax while enjoying a variety of different wines.
Kenzo Tsujimoto, the owner of the winery and founder of video game company Capcom, invested an incredible amount of time and energy into creating some very good wines, but luckily for us in Tokyo, he chose to keep the prices relatively affordable.
After purchasing the estate-a former equestrian training center-in 1990, Mr. Tsujimoto planted about 100 acres of vineyards, completing the winery in time for the 2009 harvest. But he has left 90 percent of the land wild in order to preserve the natural habitat and beauty of the area.
In order to achieve his business plan of making some of the best wine Napa Valley has to offer, he also hired several experts, including legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett and famed vineyard manager David Abreu, both considered leaders in their fields.
Any visitor to Kenzo Estate's tasting room will see that his efforts have paid off with delicious, nuanced wines priced at Napa-not Tokyo-prices.
If you're in the area, I highly recommend stopping in for a glass and enjoying the serene, Napa-style atmosphere. You can even purchase full bottles to enjoy at home later.
Kelly