Hokkaido Jiyu Wine
北海道自由ワイン
Cold-climate yamabudo pioneer that expanded into distilling
Hokkaido Jiyu Wine operates Maoi Jiyu no Oka Winery on the Maoi hills in Naganuma, Sorachi District, Hokkaido. The winery traces back to 2006, when it began as the tiny Maoi Winery, cultivating around 0.5 hectares of cold-hardy native yamabudo (mountain grape) hybrid varieties. In June 2017 the Sapporo-based Hokkaido Jiyu Group acquired the winery, renaming the company Hokkaido Jiyu Wine and the brand Maoi Jiyu no Oka Winery, and expanded the vineyard to roughly 14 hectares of rare cold-climate varieties such as Yama Sauvignon, Yama Fredonia, Himalaya, Niagara, and the Naganuma-native Iwamatsu yamabudo. Construction began in 2021 on a new 810-square-meter distillery building, which grand-opened in May 2022 as Maoi Distillery, adding a Scottish hybrid still that produces brandy, fruit brandy, and whisky alongside the winery's existing wine production. Signature wines are named after chapters of The Tale of Genji, including Miotsukushi (white, Niagara), Yugao (rosé, Campbell Early/yamabudo blend), and Hananoen (red, Yama Sauvignon).
www.hlwine.co.jp/ ↗Cuvées
No cuvées registered yet.
Who Is This For?
For drinkers curious about Japan's rare native yamabudo hybrid grapes and small producers who cross wine into brandy and whisky making.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Hokkaido Jiyu Wine located?
- On the Maoi hills in Naganuma, Sorachi District, Hokkaido, where it operates under the winery brand Maoi Jiyu no Oka Winery.
- What makes the winery's grapes distinctive?
- It grows rare cold-hardy yamabudo (mountain grape) hybrid varieties such as Yama Sauvignon, Yama Fredonia, Himalaya, and the Naganuma-native Iwamatsu across roughly 14 hectares.
- What happened at the winery in 2021?
- Construction began on a new 810-square-meter distillery building, which grand-opened in May 2022 as Maoi Distillery and added brandy, fruit brandy, and whisky production alongside wine.
- What are Hokkaido Jiyu Wine's representative wines?
- Signature bottlings are named after Tale of Genji chapters, including Miotsukushi (white, Niagara), Yugao (rosé, Campbell Early/yamabudo), and Hananoen (red, Yama Sauvignon).
- How did the winery come to be called Hokkaido Jiyu Wine?
- It began in 2006 as the tiny Maoi Winery; in June 2017 the Sapporo-based Hokkaido Jiyu Group acquired it, renaming the company Hokkaido Jiyu Wine and the winery brand Maoi Jiyu no Oka Winery.