WineHandpicked by IWSC

14 award-winning Japanese wines to discover

From stellar Cabernet Sauvignon to distinctive white and orange wine made from Japan's signature Koshu grape, discover 14 of the best Japanese wines from the IWSC

Words by IWSC Judges

koshu grapes being picked from vine in japan
Handpicked by IWSC
Some of the best Japanese wine is made using the country's signature pink-skinned Koshu grape

Japan may not be the first wine-producing country on your lips, but they’ve been making wine there for more than 1,000 years – the first vines were planted on the main island of Honshu, at Katsunuma in the prefecture (region) of Yamanashi, as far back as the 8th century. Japan makes a varied selection of wines from its 18,000 hectares of vineyards, and we’ve put together a list of the best Japanese wines based on expert picks from this year’s IWSC.

The first commercial vineyards in Japan were planted in Yamanashi 150 years ago, and since then, more than 200 wineries have been founded – Japan is, by some distance, the leading Asian country in terms of wine consumption.

The grape varieties used in Japan vary from the familiar French varieties such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to the star performer: Koshu. This delicate pink-skinned variety is much loved in its homeland, and its tolerance against humidity – a perennial problem in Japan – gives it an edge over its Western cousins.

A vineyard in Japan's Yamanashi wine region

Koshu typically produces a light, subtle white wine reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, and it’s the ideal pairing with Japanese cuisine. One bottle, in particular, shone at this year’s IWSC. Château Mercian, Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2021 impressed the judges with its palate of grilled nuts, damson, roses and saffron. A Silver medal winner, it scored 93/100pts.

One Gold medal went to Château Mercian, Mariko Omnis 2018, a red blend showcasing the prowess of international varieties in Japanese wine – with Cabernet Franc dominating and supported by Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. In terms of white international varieties, Chardonnay also stood out – particularly in Takahata Winery’s Oura Chardonnay 2021, which scored 94/100 and which judges described as ‘expressive’ and ‘voluptuous on the palate’.

A top panel of experts blind-tasted every Japanese wine entered in this year’s IWSC. Panel chair was Master of Wine Sarah Abbott, accompanied by expert judges Sunny Hodge, Marie Cheong-Thong and Leona de Pasquale. We’re delighted to present our selection of the best Japanese wines as tasted in this year’s IWSC.

pink koshu grape on the vine in japan

HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE WINES?

We run a tightly structured, rigorous wine tasting process. That means that each wine sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC wine judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the wine industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.

HOW DO WE SCORE THESE WINES?

Only the best wines sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, wines have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.

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