About Japonica Koshu Hoshi
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Koshu
- Price Range
- Approx. ¥6,160
- 375ml half bottle, tax included
An orange wine from Domaine Hide (Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi, Japan) made from hand-harvested Koshu grapes. The grapes are boxed and carried to a drying shed, then shade-dried (the 'Hoshi' method) for approximately 70 days before fermentation on the skins, concentrating sugars and flavour and producing a deep amber colour. The wine shows an intensely aromatic, roasted character of Koshu grapes, with notes of walnut and shiitake mushroom, and a robust, full-bodied, dry finish. The 2023 vintage was bottled as a 375ml half bottle.
The roughly 70-day shade-drying process is one of Domaine Hide's signature techniques — an approach inspired by the Amarone method and used elsewhere in the range for the winery's 'Hoshi Wine' cuvées — here applied to Koshu. The result is an intensely aromatic, walnut- and shiitake-scented orange wine with real structure and a long, savoury finish: a rare and distinctive expression of Japan's signature grape.
New to wine?
A striking introduction to Japanese orange wine — the shade-drying process gives it a richness and umami character unlike typical white wines, while its dry finish keeps it food-friendly.
Food Pairings
Pairs beautifully with charcoal-grilled dishes and Japanese dishes built around pungent aromatics such as myoga ginger, scallion, fresh ginger and shiso. Walnut and mushroom dishes echo the wine's own aromatics.
When to drink it
Well suited to an evening centred on charcoal-grilled or umami-rich Japanese dishes, or for those curious to explore skin-contact wine styles from Japan.
Terroir & Winemaking
Koshu grapes are hand-harvested, boxed and transported to a drying shed, then shade-dried (hoshi-budo method) for approximately 70 days before fermentation on the skins (orange-wine style), concentrating sugars and aromatics. Dry in style, full-bodied and structured. 2023 vintage; bottled as a 375ml half bottle. Note: the WineStyle enum used in this catalog does not include a formal 'orange wine' category, so this cuvée is classified as 'white' — its actual character is that of a skin-contact, dried-grape orange wine.
About the producer
Domaine HideRare, tide-timed natural wines built around Muscat Bailey A.南アルプス市, 山梨県 · Founded 2015Visit the producer page →More wines from Domaine Hide
- Aishiteru SparklingSparkling · Muscat Bailey A
- BeBe Barrel AgedRed · Muscat Bailey A
- Hoshi Wine AppassimentoSweet · Muscat Bailey A
- Kaminohatake Merlot AusleseSweet · Merlot
- Kaminohatake Sakura MBARed · Muscat Bailey A
- Koshu Tsubo OrangeWhite · Koshu
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this a white wine or an orange wine?
- It's made from the white grape Koshu, but the grapes are shade-dried for about 70 days and then fermented on the skins, giving it the character of an orange wine — deep amber colour and skin-contact texture. Our catalog lists it under 'white' since 'orange' is not a formal style category here.
- What does it taste like?
- Dry and full-bodied, with an intensely aromatic, roasted Koshu character showing notes of walnut and shiitake mushroom, and a robust, savoury finish.
- What food does it pair with?
- Charcoal-grilled dishes and Japanese dishes built around myoga ginger, scallion, fresh ginger and shiso, as well as walnut and mushroom dishes.
- What vintage and bottle size is this?
- The 2023 vintage, bottled as a 375ml half bottle.
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