About Kerner
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Kerner
- Price Range
- ¥4,000-4,500
- Alcohol
- 13%
Kerner is Camel Farm Winery's signature white wine, made from 100% Kerner grapes grown on vines over 40 years old in the winery's own vineyards in Yoichi, Hokkaido — a cool, maritime appellation on Japan's northern coast at 43°N. The grapes are hand-harvested with strict fruit selection, then fermented using a blend of temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, followed by roughly seven months of aging. The result is an aromatic, medium-bodied dry white with a bright, pale-gold color, showing grapefruit, mandarin, white peach, pear, mint, and white pepper aromatics, a rounded and concentrated palate, bright acidity, and a long, faintly bitter, mineral-driven finish reminiscent of grapefruit pith. It has drawn international recognition, including Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge (2020 vintage), and Gold at the Hong Kong Japanese Sake Award (2023, on the 2022 vintage).
Camel Farm's most distinctive expression of old-vine Kerner — its layered citrus and herbal aromatics and long, saline finish make it one of Hokkaido's benchmark whites.
New to wine?
A fragrant, food-friendly white that's an easy, approachable introduction to Hokkaido's cool-climate wines.
Food Pairings
Excellent with green olives, white fish sashimi, tapas-style appetizers, and Japanese cuisine in general — especially delicate seafood, tempura, and dishes seasoned with dashi.
When to drink it
Everyday seafood dinners, aperitif, and casual gatherings pairing Japanese or Mediterranean-style small plates.
Terroir & Winemaking
Made from 100% Kerner grown on vines over 40 years old in Camel Farm Winery's own Yoichi vineyards. Hand-harvested with strict fruit selection; fermentation uses a blend of temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, followed by roughly seven months of aging on lees. Alcohol has ranged from about 12.5% to 13% across vintages (12.5% per the winery's official spec sheet; 13% per retailer data for the 2022 vintage); sulfites (aged with SO2) added, sealed with natural cork. The 2020 vintage won Bronze at both the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge, and the 2022 vintage won Gold at the Hong Kong Japanese Sake Award (2023).
About the producer
Camel Farm WineryDecanter Gold wines from a Cotarella-advised Yoichi estate余市町, 北海道 · Founded 2014Visit the producer page →More wines from Camel Farm Winery
- Bacchus Extra Dry Vieilles VignesSparkling · Bacchus
- Blaufränkisch Brut Nature Dosage ZeroSparkling · Blaufränkisch
- Blaufränkisch Private ReserveRed · Blaufränkisch
- Camel Brut Méthode Traditionnelle Cuvée Barrique Blanc de NoirsSparkling · Pinot Noir
- Pinot Noir Fujimoto VineyardRed · Pinot Noir
- Pinot Noir Private ReserveRed · Pinot Noir
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Camel Farm Winery's Kerner taste like?
- It offers aromatic notes of grapefruit, mandarin, white peach, pear, mint, and white pepper, with a rounded palate, bright acidity, and a long, faintly bitter grapefruit-like finish with mineral character.
- What food pairs well with this Kerner?
- It pairs beautifully with green olives, white fish sashimi, tapas-style appetizers, and Japanese cuisine in general, especially delicate seafood and tempura.
- How is Camel Farm's Kerner made?
- It's made from 100% Kerner grown on vines over 40 years old in Yoichi, Hokkaido, fermented using a blend of temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, then aged for about seven months before bottling.
- Has this wine won any awards?
- Yes — the 2020 vintage won Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge, and the 2022 vintage won Gold at the Hong Kong Japanese Sake Award in 2023.
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