Grape Republic

Grape Republic is a natural wine producer based in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Founded in 2017 by Takayuki Taira after learning of abandoned vineyard land in his mother's hometown during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake relief effort, the winery set out to revive the region's grape-growing heritage. Its cellar houses seventeen amphorae of up to 1,000 liters — one of the largest amphora-based winemaking operations in Japan — used to ferment local varieties such as Delaware, Niagara, Steuben, Muscat Bailey A, and Neo Muscat with wild yeast alone. Every wine follows a strict 'Made of 100% Grapes' philosophy: no added sugar, acids, sulfites, or commercial yeast, and grapes are dry-farmed and hand-harvested. This zero-zero, minimal-intervention approach has earned Grape Republic international recognition, with wines poured at RAW WINE and distributed by natural wine importers across the US, Europe, and Asia.