About Amber
- Style
- Sweet
- Grape Varieties
- Koshu
- Price Range
- ¥1,000
- 600ml
- Alcohol
- 17%
Amber is Hojo Winery's rare Japanese take on a Madeira-style fortified wine, made entirely from Koshu grapes grown on the Hojo Sand Dunes in Tottori. Fermentation is halted by adding alcohol (mutage), the wine is then warmed and held for three months, aged roughly two years in old oak barrels, and finally rests in bottle for over a decade before release. The result is a deep golden, amber-hued wine with aromas of dried hay and raisins, sherry-like oxidative complexity, and a refined alcohol-driven sweetness balanced by a pleasant bitterness. Note: despite the name, this is not a skin-contact 'orange wine' — 'Amber' refers to the wine's topaz color, from the Portuguese word for amber.
A genuine rarity — one of the very few Madeira-style wines made in Japan, and a compelling reminder that Koshu can age into something entirely unexpected.
New to wine?
A rare introduction to Japanese fortified wine — think a gentler, Koshu-based cousin of Madeira or sherry.
Food Pairings
Traditionally paired with game meat (jibie) dishes, and equally at home with Japanese sweets like yokan and dried persimmon, dried fruits, and nuts. Also makes an excellent base for a wine spritzer.
When to drink it
After-dinner sipping, a digestif with dessert, or a unique gift for wine enthusiasts.
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Koshu, non-vintage. Fermentation is stopped by fortification with alcohol (mutage), then the wine is heated and held for approximately 3 months before roughly 2 years of aging in old oak barrels, followed by 10+ years of bottle aging prior to release. ABV 17%. 600ml bottle. Serve at 13-15°C.
About the producer
Hojo WinerySince 1944, expressing Tottori's rare sand-dune terroir.北栄町, 鳥取県 · Founded 1944Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Amber by Hojo Winery?
- It's a rare Japanese Madeira-style fortified wine made from 100% Koshu grapes, aged for over a decade before release.
- Is Amber an orange wine?
- No — despite the name, Amber is not a skin-contact orange wine. Its amber/golden hue comes from oxidative aging in oak and bottle in the style of Madeira, not from extended skin contact during fermentation.
- What does Amber taste like?
- Deep golden in color, with aromas of dried hay and raisins, sherry-like oxidative notes, elegant alcohol-driven sweetness, and a pleasant bitter finish.
- What food pairs well with Amber?
- Game meat dishes, Japanese sweets such as yokan and dried persimmon, dried fruits, and nuts; it also works well as a spritzer base.
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