Japanese becoming increasingly sophisticated wine consumers

(JapanToday) - When Simon Berry first came to Japan to gauge the local demand for wine and spirits, the market was unquestionably dominated by the latter. Two decades later, things are very different.

“There were the first signs of interest in wine, but it was a relatively unsophisticated market”, the chairman of Berry Bros & Rudd told BCCJ ACUMEN. “But in the last 20 years, Japan has become one of the most sophisticated markets in the world”.

Japan’s consumption of Burgundy is testimony to this, he points out, with more of the varietal sold here than even Bordeaux wine.

“That is unique in the world”, he said. “People usually start with Bordeaux because it is simpler. But in Burgundy, they delight in making it complicated — and that goes down well in Japan. The more complicated it is, the more they like it here”.

Berry, who oversees the operations of the oldest wine and spirits merchant in Britain, was paying a regular visit to the firm’s outposts in Hong Kong and Tokyo, as well as its new office in Singapore.

“We’re doing well in Japan now, even though it’s a complicated market for us”, he said. “But, little by little, we understand it better and we have a great 17-strong team here, so I’m very pleased with the way in which we are growing.

 “There is still a long way to go in Japan, and even though we have been here for 20 years, you must remember that we’re working from a history that goes back more than 300 years”.

The wine merchant believes that the secret behind longevity is that they never stop changing.

The firm was initially in the tea and coffee importing business. These caffeinated beverages represented the luxury drinks of the day in 1700. Tea cost £10 for 454 grams — at a time when the average annual wage was £15.