Yumi Tanabe, founder of the “Sakura Awards,” acknowledges Arboleda again, this time in Chile
“Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards,” which is currently the most important international wine competition in Japan, acknowledged Arboleda Chardonnay 2013 as the “Best Wine of the World to Pair with Sushi” last year.
Yumi Tanabe, the competition’s chairperson and founder, visited the unique terroir of Viña Arboleda in Aconcagua Costa and once again highlighted its wines’ qualities that perfectly pair with Asian food.
The day began full of action for the renowned Japanese expert, with the visit to Arboleda’s vineyard in Aconcagua Costa. Yumi-san toured the property with viticulturist Carlos Carrasco, an occasion that enabled her to appreciate the place’s freshness, its unique geography and the diversity of its soils, which feature slate of clay-loam origin and different strata of metamorphic rock. She then tasted Arboleda wines’ new vintages with winemaker Emily Faulconer.
At the end of the day, Yumi Tanabe returned to Santiago, invited to experience the best Japanese food in Chile, alongside the world’s best wine to pair with Sushi, Arboleda Chardonnay. This gathering took place at the “Japón”, the first Japanese restaurant founded almost 40 years ago in Chile’s capital city, where she tasted traditional Nipponese dishes, prepared by the experienced chefs Takeo Naito and Kazuhiko Fuse, which were paired with all the Arboleda wines, especially chosen for
each course.
“Arboleda’s Chardonnay and Sushi go so well together, that all the judges who evaluated it –in groups of five– granted full 100 points to such excellent combination. This terrific pairing was highlighted for its elegance and good structure by all participants.” Yumi Tanabe, August 2015