Ajimu Winery
安心院葡萄酒工房
Seven-time 5-star Japan Winery Award winner and creator of Japan's most acclaimed sparkling wine
Ajimu Winery (Ajimu Budoushu Koubou), operated by Sanwa Shurui — the maker of shochu Iichiko — is one of Japan's most decorated wineries, having earned a 5-star rating at the Japan Winery Award every year from 2019 to 2025. Founded in 1971 on the philosophy that wine is a gift from the land, the winery harnesses Ajimu's fog-laden basin climate and sharp day-night temperature swings to produce aromatic, terroir-driven wines. Its Ajimu Sparkling Wine, made by methode champenoise with 100% Ajimu Chardonnay, has won the top prize in its category at the Japan Wine Competition eight times and claimed silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024, making it the highest-scoring Japanese sparkling wine at that competition.
www.ajimu-winery.co.jp/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For Japanese wine explorers who want to discover Kyushu's unexpected wine country, and for sparkling wine enthusiasts seeking a serious methode champenoise alternative to Champagne at a fraction of the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does Ajimu Winery make wine in Kyushu, which is known for shochu?
- Ajimu basin in Usa City, Oita, has lower rainfall and sharper day-night temperature differences than the rest of Kyushu, creating conditions ideal for wine grapes. Sanwa Shurui began viticulture here in 1971, a full eight years before launching the shochu Iichiko. At the company, the saying goes: Waka Botan is the father, Ajimu Wine is the mother, and Iichiko is the son.
- What is Ajimu Winery's most famous wine?
- The Ajimu Sparkling Wine, made from 100% Ajimu Chardonnay using traditional bottle-fermentation (methode champenoise), is the flagship. It has won the top award at Japan Wine Competition eight times and scored 90 points (silver) at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 — the highest score for any Japanese sparkling wine at that competition.
- What winemaking philosophy guides Ajimu Winery?
- The winery's core belief is that wine is a gift from the land that nurtures the grapes. Winemakers focus on expressing the natural character of each grape variety and each field. Chief winemaker Furuya has said: A wine dominated by winemaking loses its character. We aim to express the individuality of the variety and Ajimu's terroir.
- What grape varieties does Ajimu Winery grow?
- Chardonnay is the primary variety, the backbone of the famous sparkling wine. Albarino has emerged as a second star, winning international awards. The winery cultivates approximately 30 varieties to find the best match for Ajimu's climate and soil.
- Has Ajimu Winery won international awards?
- Yes. In 2024, the Ajimu Sparkling Wine 2022 and Ajimu Chardonnay Imoriya 2022 both won silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The Ajimu Sparkling Wine also won silver at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships — a first for any Japanese wine. Domestically, the Chardonnay Reserve 2023 won the Grand Gold at the 2024 Japan Wine Competition.