About Grape Ship
- Founded
- 2021
- 5 years ago
- Location
- 倉敷市
- 岡山県
- Wines listed
- 12
- Sparkling 2, White 6, Rosé 2, Red 2
- Main grapes
- Muscat of Alexandria, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
Grape Ship is a boutique natural wine producer in the Funao district of Kurashiki, Okayama — a coastal area that has grown Muscat of Alexandria table grapes for over 130 years. Founder Kazunori Matsui, a former French-trained chef, discovered natural wine while studying in France, returned to his hometown of Funao in 2010 to take up viticulture, planted his first vines in 2012, and opened the winery in 2021. Working a 1.5-hectare organic (JAS-certified) vineyard, Matsui ferments with indigenous wild yeast, adds no sulfites, and uses gravity-flow, pump-free winemaking to keep the fruit's delicate aromatics intact, producing gentle, low-alcohol wines built around Muscat of Alexandria alongside Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and the indigenous Shokoshi variety.
Who Is This For?
For drinkers curious about Japan's native Muscat of Alexandria and low-intervention, pump-free natural winemaking, and anyone wanting an easy, low-alcohol wine to enjoy with everyday meals.
Wines of Grape Ship
White6
Rosé2
Location & Nearby
- Address
- 岡山県倉敷市船穂町船穂7153-1View map ↗
- Founded
- 2021
Source: nihonwine.jp (checked Sep 2026) / grapeship.jp (checked Sep 2026)
The pin with the gold outline marks Grape Ship.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Grape Ship located?
- Grape Ship is based in the Funao district of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, an area that has grown Muscat of Alexandria grapes for more than 130 years.
- Who founded Grape Ship?
- Grape Ship was founded by Kazunori Matsui, a former French-trained chef who discovered natural wine while studying in France before returning home to Funao to become a grape grower; he opened the winery in 2021.
- What makes Grape Ship's winemaking distinctive?
- Matsui ferments with wild, indigenous yeast, adds no sulfites, and moves the wine only by gravity rather than pumps, aiming to preserve the grapes' natural aromatics with minimal intervention.
- What grape varieties does Grape Ship use?
- The winery centers on Muscat of Alexandria, supplemented by Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and the indigenous Shokoshi variety, all grown organically on its 1.5-hectare vineyard.
- What style of wine does Grape Ship make?
- Its wines are gentle, low-alcohol, and food-friendly — light sparkling and still whites and rosés built to complement everyday meals rather than compete for attention.