About this wine
Chateau Jun Adirondack is a rare Japanese red wine made from 100% Adirondack, an American-origin black grape variety that has been cultivated in the Katsunuma area of Yamanashi Prefecture since the Meiji era (late 19th century). Once known as the grape behind Japan's very first domestically produced red wine, Adirondack has become increasingly scarce because its berries tend to shatter from the cluster as they ripen, making it impractical for table-grape sale and difficult to farm at scale — earning it the nickname 'the phantom black grape.' The wine shows a bright, purple-tinged light color and a strikingly sweet, cotton-candy and wild-strawberry aroma, with a soft, low-tannin, juicy palate. Chateau Jun releases a new vintage of Adirondack every autumn (around October) as part of its nouveau lineup, alongside its Yamanashi Nouveau.
An ideal first red wine for those who find typical tannic reds too harsh — sweet, juicy, and closer to grape juice in approachability, yet unmistakably wine.
Sommelier's Note
"A living taste of Japanese wine history — Adirondack is the grape said to have produced Japan's first-ever red wine, and Chateau Jun's version captures its nostalgic, candy-sweet charm better than almost anyone still making it."
Food Pairings
The wine's natural sweetness and low tannin make it a natural match for Japanese home cooking: sukiyaki, soy-simmered dishes (nimono), and salt-grilled yakitori. It is equally at home alongside Japanese sweets such as yokan (sweet red-bean jelly) and anko-based confections, and works well with fresh fruit or mildly spiced appetizers.
When to drink it
Great for casual home parties, autumn nouveau celebrations, and as an easy-drinking match for a sukiyaki dinner.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Adirondack
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 10-10.5%
- Price Range
- ¥2,000-2,500 (720-750ml)
Terroir & Winemaking
Made from 100% Adirondack grapes grown around Katsunuma, Koshu City. Grapes are picked at optimal ripeness to preserve their delicate aromatic compounds, then fermented at cool, controlled temperatures with minimal intervention to retain the variety's signature candy-like fruit character and soft tannin structure. Alcohol content is typically around 10-10.5%. Bottled in 720-750ml formats and released annually each autumn as a nouveau-style new-vintage wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Chateau Jun Adirondack taste like?
- It has a distinctly sweet, cotton-candy and wild-strawberry aroma with a light, soft palate, minimal tannin, and gentle acidity — closer to a fruity, easy-drinking style than a typical dry red.
- What food pairs well with this wine?
- It pairs beautifully with sukiyaki, soy-simmered Japanese home cooking, salt-grilled yakitori, and Japanese sweets like yokan and anko confections.
- Should this wine be served chilled?
- Yes. Because it is a sweet-style red, it is best served lightly chilled rather than at typical red-wine room temperature — this keeps the sweetness feeling crisp rather than cloying.
- Is Adirondack a common grape variety?
- No — it is an American-origin black grape grown almost exclusively around Katsunuma, Yamanashi, and is considered a 'phantom' variety today because its tendency to shatter from the cluster when ripe makes it commercially impractical to grow at scale.
- Should I age this wine?
- No, it is meant to be enjoyed young as a nouveau-style release to appreciate its fresh, vibrant fruit aromas rather than being cellared.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
シャトージュン 甲州
Chateau Jun Koshu
WhiteKoshu
Chateau Jun Koshu is the winery's flagship white wine, made from 100% Koshu — Japan's indigenous grape variety — grown in the Katsunuma appellation of Yamanashi Prefecture. The wine gained international recognition when its 2018 vintage was served at the leaders' dinner of the G20 Osaka Summit in June 2019, where it reportedly sold out immediately after being featured on the summit's official menu; it is also served in JAL's international business class. Over the years, Chateau Jun Koshu has repeatedly medaled at Japan Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wine Awards. Typical tasting notes include aromas of pear, quince, and citrus with delicate floral and fresh herbal nuances, a dry palate with gentle acidity, medium body, and a pleasantly bitter, food-friendly finish reminiscent of Koshu's affinity with dashi-based Japanese cuisine — some tasters compare it to a 'Chablis of Koshu.'
ジュン スパークリング
Chateau Jun Sparkling
SparklingWhiteRoséKoshu · Delaware · Muscat Bailey A
Chateau Jun Sparkling is a two-part Japanese sparkling wine line from the JUN Group's winery in Katsunuma, Yamanashi. The white version is made from 100% Koshu grapes grown in Yamanashi, carbonated using the tank (Charmat) method to produce fine, delicate bubbles; it shows elegant aromas of pear, quince, and citrus with a medium-dry, crisp finish and roughly 11.5% ABV. The rosé version is crafted from 100% Yamanashi-grown grapes, built on a Delaware base blended with Muscat Bailey A, giving a sweet, fruit-forward style with candy-like aromatics and fresh peach and strawberry notes, finished with fine, creamy bubbles. Both wines have been recognized internationally, including a gold medal in the sparkling category at the Hong Kong Washu Awards 2020.
シャトージュン ソーヴィニヨン・ブラン
Chateau Jun Sauvignon Blanc
WhiteSauvignon Blanc
Produced by Chateau Jun in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, this Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes grown in sandy soil along the Hikawa River at an altitude of around 350m. Despite being a classic European variety, the wine is crafted to complement Japanese cuisine, reflecting the winery's 'honest to the grape' philosophy. It shows characteristic aromas of peach and passion fruit, and is dry yet approachable with soft, gentle acidity rather than the more piercing herbaceous style typical of the variety elsewhere. Alcohol content is typically around 12-12.5%.