Episode #14
#14 - Unexpected Pleasures with Dennis Murphy of Two Cats Imports - Nora Kura Rouge
As an importer, how is Japanese wine received in the US? What are some of the challenges you see with the Japanese wine industry from the outside looking in? In this episode we speak with Dennis Murphy of Two Cats Imports and Sunflower Sake in Portland, Oregon. Two Cats Imports focuses on wines from Japanese producers committed to the ethos and essence of their fruit, giving each wine its own unique voice. Many of the wines in their portfolio come from grapes that are uncommon in the wider wine world, such as hybrids like Delaware and Muscat Bailey A and even table grapes like Kyoho. Despite these unfamiliar grapes, the wines are distinctly and uniquely Japanese. During our conversation we cover a range of topics, such as what makes Japanese wine unique, the perception of Japanese wine abroad, challenges facing the Japanese wine industry as it grows and expands abroad, and the hurdles of starting an import business. This episode features the Nora Kura Rouge, a natural red wine from Hakodate in southern Hokkaido, Japan’s northern most major island. Ken and Kazuko Sasaki started the winery in 2011 after studying winemaking at the University of Burgundy and working with producers throughout France focusing on low intervention wine-making. Nora Kura continues that low-intervention approach by growing their vines without industrial fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides and encouraging soil health and biodiversity in the vineyard. Their small operation produces about 13,000 bottles a year from sourced fruit and their estate vineyards of primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Follow Dennis Murphy on Instagram @isomaltpdx Follow Two Cats Imports on Instagram @twocatsimports Follow Nora Kura on Instagram @nora___kura Your questions and comments are appreciated and help us guide and improve the show! Also, if you think you’d make a good guest on the show, let us know! Feel free to reach us on Spotify, on Instagram ( @the_viticulture_edge_podcast ), or email us at the.viticulture.edge@gmail.com . If you like this show please consider rating it or telling a friend about it! Every additional listen and like helps us share the unique stories of these underrepresented wine regions with the world. A big thanks to @chigita_yusuke for the post production on our episodes.
