Wine
Japanese: ワイン（葡萄酒）
A brewed alcoholic drink made by fermenting grape juice with yeast. Flavor varies greatly by grape variety, terroir, and winemaking method.
Wine is one of the most ancient alcoholic beverages. Because wild yeast naturally resides on grape skins, fermentation can begin by leaving crushed juice to sit. Red wine ferments with skins to extract tannins and color; white wine ferments juice alone. The concept of terroir was nurtured by wine culture. Each bottle holds the memory of a year's weather and the land itself. In Japan, winemaking with native varieties like Koshu and Muscat Bailey A has developed. The natural wine movement sees more winemakers relying on wild yeast rather than cultured strains, questioning fermentation itself.