A big tasting of Japanese wines
I’ve been following Japanese wine for a while, and a while back I attended a large tasting of Japanese wines at a festival in Osaka. Here are my notes. It may be quite difficult to source these wines outside Japan, because they are often made in small quantities and sold locally, but even so, I think it’s useful to write about them. This is, to me, a very interesting wine scene.
Hiroshima Miyoshi Winery
Website: https://www.miyoshi-winery.co.jp/
There are 10 small wineries in Hiroshima, and Miyoshi are one of them, making a range of wines under the Tomoé brand. They have 5 hectares of vines (some of these are contracted to them) and also make some wine from Chilean bulk (it’s quite common in Japan for wineries to do this, although it has to be made clear on the label).
Villaqua Sparkling Rosé NV Hiroshima, Japan
This is made from 2021 base and the varieties are Merlot and Syrah. Traditional method. Bright and fresh with lovely strawberry and cherry fruit. Rounded with some sweetness on the finish. Really good. 89/100
Tomoé Chardonnay Crisp 2023 Hiroshima, Japan
Bright and lively with some pear drop character. Fresh and balanced with lovely pear and citrus fruit with good acidity and purity. 88/100
Tomoé Delaware 2023 Hiroshima, Japan
Delaware is a popular Amercian hybrid grape in Japan. Fruity and bright with nice pear and table grape character. Rounded with purity and texture. 89/100
Tomoé Barrel Selection Semillon 2020 Hiroshima, Japan
Rounded and textured with nice depth and subtle nuttiness, showing some brightness. Smooth and slightly toasty with subtle oak. 88/100
Tomoé Muscat Bailey A 2019 Hiroshima, Japan
This is a commonly encountered Japanese hybrid red grape. Fruity and rounded with some jelly notes and lovely berry fruits with some sweet strawberry. There’s a hint of oak, adding some spicy detail. 88/100
Tomoé Merlot 2019 Hiroshima, Japan
Very sweet aromatics. Juicy, bright red cherry and strawberry fruit. Pure and expressive with good fruit. 89/100
Ajimu Winery, Oita Prefecture
Ajimu make 30 different wines from 17 hectares of estate vineyards.
Ajimu Winery Sparkling Wine Brut 2019 Oita, Japan
Merlot, traditional method. Sweet, candied nose of strawberry and herbs with some sweet fruit in the mouth, finishing herby. 86/100
Ajimu Winery Albariño Yazu Vineyard 2022 Oita, Japan
Fruity and bright with nice pear fruit and a touch of apricot. Expressive with nice purity. 89/100
Ajimu Winery Chardonnay Reserve 2022 Oita, Japan
Barrel-fermented in new oak. Very stylish with bright pear and citrus fruit as well as some spice. Nice oak influence and good acidity. Stylish with nice purity. 90/100
Ajimu Winery Shokoshi 2020 Oita, Japan
This is made from Japanese hybrid grape variety Shokoshi. Sweetly fruited, berryish and ripe with lovely intensity. Raspberry and strawberry fruit with some spiciness. Lovely flesh and texture, with just enough tannin. 92/100
Ajimu Winery Tannat 2021 Oita, Japan
Nice vibrant cherry and berry fruit with some nice tannin. This is bold with good structure, showing nice purity of fruit. Fresh with a bit of grip. 91/100
Says Farm, Toyoma Prefecture
Says Farm has 12 hectares of vines and makes only estate wines. They are in a coastal area, which is what prompted them to plant Albariño. Soils are sandy, they have mountains behind them, and the vineyards are terraced. All the ferments here are wild.
Says Farm Albariño 2021 Toyoma, Japan
Stainless steel. Fine, bright and lively with pear, apricot and lemon fruit. Good concentration and intensity here. Juicy and fine with nice purity. 92/100
Says Farm Albariño 2020 Toyoma, Japan
Barrel fermented and aged. Lovely fruit here: pear and apricot with some spice and a hint of oak. Very fine, textural and expressive. 92/100
Says Farm Private Reserve Chardonnay 2020 Toyoma, Japan
Planted in 2008. Textured and broad with some grapey notes and nice weight. Pear, peach and a touch of spice. Lovely depth here. 89/100
Says Farm Yokawa Blanc 2020 Toyoma, Japan
This is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño, raised in barrel. Bright, lively, grassy notes as well as pear, apple and some spice. Nicely textured with bright fruit but also some smoothness. Very classy. 91/100
Says Farm Awa Rosé 2022 Toyoma, Japan
Made from Merlot. Pale yellow/pink in colour. Lively and bright but with nice freshness and good acidity, showing hints of herbs, pear, cherry and a nice vivid personality. 89/100
Says Farm Rosé M 2022 Toyoma, Japan
Merlot. Red/pink colour. Bright with a supple nose and good weight to the cherry and raspberry fruit. Dry but textural with nice acidity. 91/100
Says Farm Private Reserve Merlot 2020 Toyoma, Japan
Whole cluster. Sweet and supple with red apple, cherry and strawberry fruit. Open and expressive with nice weight. Good fruit purity. 90/100
Umashikuri Winery, Mie Prefecture
There are just seven wineries in the Mie prefecture, and Umashikuri is the third. They are quite small, making just 10 000 bottles a year.
Umashikuri Winery Chardonnay 2022 Mie Prefecture, Japan
Lively and bright with nice acidity and notes of pear and citrus. Some spicy definition. 90/100
Umashikuri Winery Rosé 2023 Mie Prefecture, Japan
Pinot Noir and Merlot. Juicy and bright with pure cherry fruit and some sweet plum. This shows textured berry fruits and finishes bright with good acidity. 90/100
Umashikuri Winery Muscat Bailey A Sparkling 2022 Mie Prefecture, Japan
10% alcohol. Traditional method. Cherry red in colour. Bright and fresh with nice grip to the red cherry and berry fryut. Expressive with a nice acid line and juicy fruit. 91/100
Umashikuri Winery Muscat Bailey A 2022 Mie Prefecture, Japan
11% alcohol. Bright and fruity with strawberry and cherry fruit. There’s a hint of almond here. Lovely fruit. 90/100
Vin Vie Winery, Nagano Prefecture
Vin Vie is based in the southern part of Nagano, where there’s more rain. They work just with estate grapes.
VinVie Cabernet Franc Barrel Aged 2022 Nagano, Japan
Sweetly fruited with raspberry and strawberry fruit as well as some jellyish notes. Light and supple with appealing fruit and soft tannins. Drinkable in a lighter style. 89/100
VinVie Rouge 2022 Nagano, Japan
This is made from the Yamaboudo grape, which is a wild Vitis Ameurensis variety. Lovely vivrant, sweet juicy fruits with some berry notes. Bright berry fruits and red cherries with good acidity. Juicy and vibrant. 91/100
Kiritoyama Winery, Nagano Prefecture
Natural wines from Shiojiri in Nagano.
Kiritoyama Muscat Bailey A 2022 Nagano, Japan
11% alcohol. Whole cluster but no punch down. Juicy and berryish with some rhubarb and cherry notes, as well as strawberry and a hint of volatile acidity. Characterful, spicy, vivid and wild. But nice. 89/100
Kiritoyama Merlot 2021 Nagano, Japan
Whole cluster, no punch down. Sweet, ripe cherries, strawberries and herbs with an open character. Textured with some sweetness. Broad and sweetly fruited and quite delicious. 90/100
Sun Sun winery, Nagano
Sun Sun Chardonnay Viognier 2021 Nagano, Japan
Textured with nice ripe pear and white peach fruit with good depth and some lovely sweet hints. Supple with fine spices. 90/100
Sun Sun Merlot Nouveau 2023 Nagano, Japan
No malolactic, no oak. Carbonic maceration. Supple, fresh, juicy red cherries and berries and some fine spices. This is so fruity and energetic with a hint of nice green in the mix. 91/100
Hakodate Winery, Hokkaido
Hakodate Pinot Blanc 2022 Hokkaido, Japan
Stony, lively, bright and linear with some appealing reductive notes. Mineral and spicy with nice bright citrus fruit. Juicy and linear. 90/100
Hakodate Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Hokkaido, Japan
5 year old vines. Fruity, bright and linear with nice citrus fruit. Stony and vivid. 88/100
Hakodate Pinot Noir 2021 Hokkaido, Japan
10 year old vines, FR11 clone which has loose bunches. Very pale in colour. Light and open with fine, elegant red cherry fruit. Very stony and mineral. This is really appealing in a lighter style. 92/100
Hakodate Merlot 2021 Hokkaido, Japan
Stony, bright and mineral with nice finesse and some fine green hints. This is a lighter-style red with texture and elegance. Ethereal style. 91/100
Niki Hills Winery, Hokkaido
Nikki Hills Hatsuyuki Kerner 2022 Hokkaido, Japan
Made with purchased grapes. Fresh, bright and linear with nice citrus fruit. Lovely acid line and shows purity with some stony notes under the pear, grape and citrus fruit. Very fine. 92/100
Nikki Hills Neiro Bacchus 2022 Hokkaido, Japan
Fresh, open and pure. Linear with a grapey richness. Nice structure, too, showing fruit intensity. Very expressive. 91/100
Nikki Hills Chardonnay 2021 Hokkaido, Japan
50% barrel fermented in older oak. Very fresh and linear with lovely pure citrus and white peach fruit, as well as a hint of spicy oak. Very expressive with a nice acid line. Bright and fine. 93/100
Nikki Hills Hatsayuki Kerner Sparkling 2020 Hokkaido, Japan
Zippy, lively and expressive with lovely intensity. This is vivid with an amazing acid line. Apples, lime, and a hint of dairy. 88/100
CFA Backyard Winery, Tochigi Prefecture
CFA Backyard Winery Burlesque Koshu 2021 Tochigi, Japan
Fruity, lively and textured with nice sweet pear, cherry and grape notes as well as good acidity. Polished and appealing. 89/100
CFA Backyard Winery Opening Act Koshu 2022 Tochigi, Japan
Fresh and supple with a fine nose of pear, apple and table grape. Has lovely fruit. Open and expressive with some stony notes. 89/100
CFA Backyard Winery Vajra Koshu 2022 Tochigi, Japan
There’s a stony, mineral edge to the bright citrus fruit with some fine nutty notes. Textured with nice balance to the fruit. 90/100
CFA Backyard Winery Vajra Old Fashioned Koshu 2022 Tochigi, Japan
Skin fermented. Lively and bright with nice acidity. Notes of green tea, herbs and citrus with some good structure. Fine and expressive with lovely weight to the fruit. 91/100
CFA Backyard Winery Opening Act Muscat Bailey A C 2021 Tochigi, Japan
This is a rosé. Has cherries, lemons and some jelly notes. Lovely fruit here: distinctive with wild strawberries in the mix. Very expressive. 88/100
CFA Backyard Winery Opening Act Muscat Bailey A DT 2022 Tochigi, Japan
Cherry red in colour. Lively, juicy, berryish and vivid with good acidity. Very juicy with a sour cherry twist on the finish. A mouthwatering style with nice intensity. 90/100
Shinshu Takayama Winery, Nagano
This is a large vineyard in the northern part of Nagano, with 64 hectares of vines. They sell to lots of the bigger wineries here, and also make some of their own wines at a cooperative winery.
Shinshu Takayama Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Nagano, Japan
Nice weight and texture here with some stony notes as well as mandarin, pear and a touch of apple, with some fine green notes. Delicate and very expressive. 90/100
Shinshu Takayama Winery Chardonnay 2020 Nagano, Japan
Tetxured and fine. Expressive with some lime, pear and white peach. Very fine with nice balance: a textural wine. 91/100
Shinshu Takayama Winery Pinot Noir 2020 Nagano, Japan
Pale in colour. Fine, elegant and expressive with strawberry and cherry fruit. Harmonious and well balanced with smoothness and elegance. 92/100
Shinshu Takayama Winery Merlot Cabernet 2019 Nagano, Japan
Supple, fresh and fine with nice red cherry and plum fruit, as well as some juiciness. Fine grained and detailed with real elegance. Fine and expressive. 93/100
Coco Farm, Tochigi Prefecture
Since 1989 Bruce Gutlove has been heading up this impressive project, based on 6 hectares of vineyards in Tochigi, plus another 14 in Hokkaido and Yamagata. They also buy grapes from contract growers in Hokkaido, Yamagata, Nagano, Yamanashi, Gunma, Saitama and Tochigi.
Coco Farm Cocorami Kaitakuen Novo Brut 2019
This is Riesling and Koshu. Lively and bright with lime and pear fruit, as well as nice texture. Very fine and linear. Zippy with a good acid line. Very fine. 91/100
Coco Farm Kita no Novo MV Hokkaido, Japan
This is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, three years on lees. It’s zippy, fresh and bright with nice texture and balance, and good acidity. But it’s a bit mousy alas.
Coco Farm Petit Manseng 2022
They first planted this in 2016 – they were the importers into Japan. Juicy, vivid, tangy and wild. Good acid. Salty, spicy and mineral, showing brightness and nice focus. Herbs, cherries and lime. 92/100
Coco Farm No Min Dry 2022
This is Kerner. Smoky and mineral with nice acidity. Lovely textured pear and lemon fruit with a salty twist. Very fine. 92/100
Coco Farm Pinot Gris 2020 Hokkaido
20% from Kimura Farm, 80% from Nakagawa Farm. Apple, pear and lime with high acidity and some nutty notes. Textured, bright, rounded and fine. 92/100
Coco Farm Koshu FOS 2020
This was 80 day maceration on skins, some in a locally made clay pot (250 litres), some in stainless steel and some in oak. Savoury edge to the fresh citrus and pear palate. Nice brightness with a stony mineral edge. Pear and apple fruit, showing nice balance. 91/100
Coco Farm Pinot Rosé 2020
Very pale in colour. Wild, lively, nice acidity, and a hint of volatility. Sweet citrus and sour cherry with some spice. 88/100
Coco Farm Tannat Rosé 2021 Yamagata/Nagano, Japan
Full pink in colour (there was some carbonic maceration here). Soft, subtle and juicy with nice brightness, as well as red cherry and strawberry fruit and good acidity. Textural, juicy and full. 91/100
Coco Farm Kaza no Rouge 2021 Hokkaido, Japan
Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Nice texture with sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. Shows nice grip with lovely warmth and fine spicy notes. Very fine. 93/100
Coco Farm Zweigelt 2018 Yoichi/Hokkaido, Japan
Alert, liverly and spicy with some peppery character as well as vivid, concentrated raspberry fruit and a sour cherry edge. Lovely balance and focus here. 91/100
Coco Farm Concerto in R 2022 Tochigi, Japan
This is Norton, Petit Verdot and Tannat, destemmed by hand and fermented in clay. Bright, juicy and linear with vivid cherry and raspberry fruit as well as some saltiness. Lovely weight here: this is juicy and focused with a hint of green and high acidity. 93/100
Coco Farm Kerna Siesta 2021
This is botrytised, and has 52 g/l sugar. Sweet but balanced with some spicy notes as well as pear and grape notes and a hint of peach. Off-dry in style, this is fruity and appealing. 90/100
Rue de Vin winery, Nagano
Rue de Vi have 12 hectares of vines, of which 4 is Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards are at high altitude in Nagano.
Rue de Vin Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Nagano, Japan
Highly aromatic: citrus, grassy, floral. Vivid and focused with nice acidity. 91/100
Rue de Vin Pinot Noir 2022 Nagano, Japan
Bright aromatic red cherry fruit with a touch of sour cherry and cranberry. Nice brightness, and a supple, sappy green edge. Fruity and elegant. 91/100
Château Mercian, Yamanashi and Nagano
Mercian Unfiltered Koshu Gris de Gris 2022 Yamanashi, Japan
Textured, fine and fresh with nice citrus fruit as well as some pear, with a bit of spice. Lovely mineral dimension. Savoury, stony and mineral, and very fine. 93/100
Mercian Mariko Vineyard Syrah Block 13 2020 Nagano, Japan
Peppery, elegant and expressive with a slight smokiness. Pure elegant red cherry fruit with fine spices. This is from a warmer vintage and shows lovely ripe, pure fruit, and it is supple and elegant. 94/100
Mercian Kerner Essence 2013 Akita, Japan
This is a sweet wine made with cryoextraction. Spicy, intense, powerful and bold with high acidity countering the complex, layered, sweet fruit. Great spicy detail here. 92/100
Takeda Winery, Yamagata
Takeda Sans Soufre Blanc 2023 Yamagata, Japan
This Pet Nat is made from Delaware. A bright, lively fizz with textured pear and melon fruit, as well as nice cherry and citrus characters. Leesy and yeasty, and really nice. 91/100
Takeda Sans Soufre Rosé 2022 Yamagata, Japan
Made from Muscat Bailey A, a Pet Nat. Bright pink in colour. This has nice density and sweet cherry aromatics. Textured palate with a spicy edge to the fruity palate, finishing dry. 91/100
Takeda Sans Soufre Rouge 2022 Yamagata, Japan
This is a still wine and shows bright cherry and berry fruits with a bit of CO2. Has lovely freshness with a sour cherry edge to the red berry fruits. Pure with lovely focus and freshness. 92/100
Hikaru Vineyard, Nagano
The vineyard is in the east of Nagano. First vintage was 2020, and this is a low intervention producer. The wines are made at Villa d’Est.
Hikaru Vineyard Cocorazasi 2022 Nagano, Japan
Chardonnay. Textured with nice pear and peach fruit and some rounded, fine spicy notes. Lovely fruit. Quite rich but balanced. 90/100
Hikaru Vineyard Cocoro 2021 Nagano, Japan
This is Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh, aromatic blackcurrant fruit nose with some red cherries. Elegant, light and supple with good acidity and nice brightness. There’s lightness here with some herb and chalk notes. Very elegant. 92/100
Yosakai Winery, Kochi Prefecture
Yosakai have 1 hectare of vines, and the vineyard used to be a rice field.
Yosakai Winey Yuuhou 2022 Kochi, Japan
This is a big berried table grape. Skin contact. Pure, fresh and grippy with nice citrus. Very linear with lovely fruit. Elegant, fine, with a slight salinity. 93/100
Yosakai Winery Fujiminori 2022 Kochi, Japan
This is from the same family as Kyoho. Pale pink and bright. Textured with lovely cherry and plum fruit as well as some ripe citrus. Nice weight. Very stylish with nice layers. 92/100
Yosakai Winery Fujiminori Sparling 2022 Kochi, Japan
Traditional method, with 2.5 bars of pressure, undisgorged. Cloudy, dry and textural. Leesy with nice sour cherry. Has nice weight, with some fine spices. 90/100
Gakufarm Winery, Nagano
Gakufarm is in Matsumoto City on a plateau at 700 m.
Gakufarm Ima Chardonnay 2022 Nagano, Japan
New French oak. Warm, spicy and toasty. Lively, fresh palate with some sweet oak and also nice pear and peach fruit. Very oaky. 88/100
Gakufarm Ima Red 2022 Nagano, Japan
Cabernet Franc. Fresh, floral nose of red cherries with some fine grainy, chalky notes. The palate is bright, pure and vivid with nice red cherry and redcurrant fruit. This is a light style with a fine, juicy edge. 90/100
Gakufarm Seil Merlot Cabernet Franc 2022 Nagano, Japan
Textured and spicy with some woody character. Stony with nice acidity, showing vibrant juicy fruit. Linear. 89/100
Gakufarm Merlot 2021 Nagano, Japan
Spicy and supple with sweet berry fruits and some lively acidity, with a hint of apple. Ripe and a little oxidative. 86/100
Mizukake Winery, Nagano
This is an 0.8 ha vineyard planted 5 years ago on the border of Nagano and Yamanashi, at 900 m altitude.
Mizukake Winery Pinot Gris 2022 Nagano, Japan
Apple, lime. Fresh and vibrant with brisk acidity. Linear with juicy lemony fruit. 91/100
Mizukake Winery Show-Off 2022 Nagano, Japan
Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer and Sylvaner. Supple and bright with slightly grapey character and fine spices. Limey and dry with good acidity. Very fine and expressive. Lovely. 93/100
