About Kaminohatake Sakura MBA
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Muscat Bailey A
- Price Range
- ¥3,850
- 750ml, at Kurura Store
- Alcohol
- 12%
Kaminohatake Sakura MBA is a dry red wine from Domaine Hide's very first vineyard, Kaminohatake ('God's Field'), a stony, well-drained plot in Shirane, Minami-Alps City that gave the winery its name after a lone surviving persimmon tree and a small shrine were found on the land. Made from 100% Muscat Bailey A, the grapes are hand-harvested, crushed by foot in the traditional style, and fermented with indigenous wild yeast (pied de cuve) before aging for 15 months in sakura (cherry wood) barrels — the source of the cuvée's name. The 2019 vintage carries a label illustration from the winery's ongoing 'moon series' by artist Mino Yamamoto, depicting the waxing gibbous moon (komochizuki) under which that year's grapes were picked.
Domaine Hide's sakura-barrel aging is what sets this Muscat Bailey A apart — the cherry wood lends a gentle black-honey sweetness on top of the variety's signature black cherry fruit, closing with a persistent, palate-cleansing acidity rarely seen at this scale of production.
New to wine?
An approachable, fruit-forward red with soft tannins — black cherry aromas and a hint of black honey make it an easy, food-friendly introduction to Japanese Muscat Bailey A.
Food Pairings
The producer recommends pairing with vinegar-based Chinese dishes such as pan-fried dumplings (gyoza) and marinated pressed tofu (zha cai doufu), served around 18°C. Its bright acidity and gentle sweetness of black honey also suit teriyaki-glazed yellowtail and simmered pork.
When to drink it
Great with Chinese home cooking or izakaya-style dinners with friends; also a distinctive gift for wine lovers curious about small-production Japanese natural wine.
Terroir & Winemaking
2019 vintage, hand-harvested from the Kaminohatake vineyard in Shirane, Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi. 100% Muscat Bailey A, whole-cluster foot-crushed, fermented with indigenous wild yeast (pied de cuve), aged 15 months in sakura (cherry wood) barrels. Bottled at 750ml, ABV 12%. Produced in the tiny quantities typical of Domaine Hide, with no direct mail-order sales from the winery.
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 →Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Kaminohatake Sakura MBA taste like?
- It opens with black cherry aromas, shows a faint black-honey sweetness on the palate, and finishes with a persistent, refreshing acidity.
- Why is it called 'Sakura MBA'?
- It is aged for 15 months in barrels made from sakura (cherry) wood, and is made from 100% Muscat Bailey A (MBA) grapes.
- What food pairs best with it?
- The producer recommends vinegar-based Chinese dishes like pan-fried dumplings and marinated pressed tofu, served around 18°C; teriyaki dishes and simmered pork also work well.
- Where does the 'Kaminohatake' (God's Field) name come from?
- It refers to Domaine Hide's very first vineyard in Shirane, Minami-Alps City — a stony, well-drained plot where a single persimmon tree survived clearing and a small shrine stood at its roots, leading locals to call it the 'God's Field'.
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