In this issue, we introduce a gem of a red wine called Grandama, which means “great woman.” Grandama, which is also the title of our special exhibition, associated with and named after our MIHO MUSEUM founder Mihoko Koyama, who holds the key to the creation of this wine and who was the visionary behind Shumei natural farming.

  Sacrafamilia an Italian winery outside of Milan, is run by older brother Giorgio, sister Anna, and her husband Domenico Capeto. Some thirty years ago, their father created Italy’s first organic winery. However, he was up against a situation in which agricultural chemicals and fertilizers that were not good for both the wine and our bodies were being recognized as organic and chemicals and additives were being used in the fermentation process of the grape juice and bottling. His children decided to establish a new winery and changed to making wine according to a biotic farming method, which is based on love, sincerity, faith, and a spirit that respects nature.

Love is poured into their wine making as if they were raising children—the three carried out fertilizer-free, organic grape cultivation, handpicked harvesting, and natural fermentation and bottling. The only difference with the Shumei farming method was the use of fine natural sulfur powder as a countermeasure against mold. Then, one day, Giorgio heard about Shumei Natural Farming. He said that he had his misgivings about a farming method in which sulfur was not used. He asked, “What happens if there is a serious outbreak of mold and the grapes are completely destroyed?” The answer was “Even so, we do nothing.”

  Our supervisor explained to an amazed Giorgio about having confidence in the natural power of the sun, good and pure soil, and the plants. Finally, Giorgia decided to give Shumei Natural Farming a try. Although the vineyard seemed to have made a good start, that year they had a record long spell of rain and an outbreak of mold and disease. The harvest was 3% of an average year and only 100 bottles were produced. However, the flavor of the wine was extremely smooth. Shumei, in partnership with Sacrafamilia, decided to study this wine at a Swiss laboratory. It was found that the microphotographs of the wine formed beautiful crystallization patterns and its life energy scored 9 out of a perfect ten, an unbelievable number. One transformation due to the implementation of the Shumei natural farming method was that this wine reached an ever higher level.

  Sacrafamilia explains that as the vineyard enters its fifth year this year, the energy within the grapes themselves have increased annually as revealed by the flavor of the wine.