A storyteller who carries wine with integrity at their core - Saori, Wineshop Brücke

A shop quietly yet surely filled with "richness"

Tucked away in a residential area of Kanazawa is Wineshop Brücke. The name means "bridge" in German.

I first had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Saori-san, more than a year after we began doing business together.

Through every word she speaks, it becomes clear that what Saori-san values is not "selling wine," but "conveying wine with sincerity."

Learning about "a life with wine" at European dinner tables

The roots of Saori-san’s relationship with wine lie in her study-abroad days in Europe during college.

Seeing other students naturally bring wine to share around the table, she realized that wine wasn't something special, but a symbol of everyday richness.

The moment she felt, "Wine is so deeply woven into life," she became interested in a career in the industry.

After returning to Japan, she worked for a Tokyo import company and met many large-scale producers. However, the wines she handled there were "brands" from major operations, making it difficult to feel the warmth or the lives of the people who made them.

The turning point came in 2018.

It was a trip visiting small-scale producers in France and Spain. She saw with her own eyes the producers moved to tears, knowing that their wines had traveled across the sea to be enjoyed in Japan.

At that moment, a core philosophy began to take hold in Saori-san.

"I want to carefully convey the sincere work of these people back in Japan."

Love means "being sincere in every direction"

When Saori-san talks about "love," it isn't something passionate or sentimental; it is quiet and grounded.

"Love is choosing to remain sincere. To the producers, to the customers, and to the wine itself."

Being sincere means, for example:

• Even if she likes the producer, she won't stock a wine if the balance between price and taste isn't right.
• She stocks wines from even the smallest producers if she feels they are good.
• She tastes every single wine that arrives at the shop.
• She doesn't rely solely on the producer's story to sell, but judges by the essence of the taste.

And, as Saori-san powerfully puts it:

"Because this is a precious bottle that a customer might buy once a month, or once every two months, I must be sincere to that one bottle."

It was also impressive to see how, in discussions regarding natural wine, she refuses to be swayed by trends, instead respecting the producers' conviction that "grape-growing is what matters most."

Maintaining a "consumer’s perspective" is key

What makes Saori-san so captivating is that when she speaks about wine, she is always imagining "whose life this will accompany, and in what way."

The breadth of her imagination is immense.

• A parent raising children who drinks one bottle over the course of a week

• Someone enjoying a glamorous evening at a restaurant

• A family gathering slowly around the dinner table

She can relate to anyone because she approaches wine as a "consumer" herself—living a life where she opens several types of wine over the weekend, enjoying them with family throughout the week.

That background is what gives rise to Saori-san’s "authentic voice."

From her genuine exchanges with producers to the relationships she has built—so close that regular customers even gift her paintings—everything is a testament to her way of living: "choosing to remain sincere."

Wineshop Brücke is a place that teaches you "how to live" with wine

At Wineshop Brücke, you can learn many things: the land, the family, and the philosophy behind each bottle of wine.

And there is the presence of an owner who hands that knowledge to you with sincerity.

Saori-san’s words teach us that wine is not something special, but rather "something that creates richness in our daily lives."

Because Saori-san knows large producers, finds opportunities to meet small ones, and continues to convey both with sincerity, the charm of "a life accompanied by wine" sinks in naturally.

Additionally, you can enjoy seasonal meals paired with wine at "Yasaburo," a restaurant run by Saori-san's family.

Every time I visit Kanazawa, I find joy in meeting Saori-san and experiencing the changing seasons at Yasaburo.