About Scarlet Bailey
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Muscat Bailey A
- Price Range
- ¥11,000
- 720ml
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
Scarlet Bailey is Horaisan Winery's flagship red wine, a single-barrel, ultra-limited bottling of 100% estate-grown Muscat Bailey A blending fruit from vines around 40 years old with younger plantings. Aged for approximately two years in oak barrel followed by five years of bottle aging, the 2018 vintage was originally sent unlabeled to a wine blogger for a multi-day tasting report before being released under its official name. The name "Scarlet" evokes the inner strength and feminine character the winery associates with Muscat Bailey A, and its katakana spelling (rather than the winery's usual hiragana cuvée names) signals its more serious, oak-influenced style.
Horaisan's single-barrel flagship proves that Muscat Bailey A — often dismissed as a wine for early drinking — can develop genuine complexity with patience, shifting from tight acidity to a Cru Beaujolais-like power and finally a Pinot Noir-like autumnal grace over several days in the glass.
New to wine?
A rare chance to taste how far Muscat Bailey A can go with age — start with a small pour and watch it transform over several days.
Food Pairings
Best enjoyed over several days as it opens, its savory, mature character pairs beautifully with grilled salted nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), simmered game dishes, and pork sautéed with a fruit-based sauce — the blogger who first tasted it even suggested Toyama's own fireflysquid preserved in soy.
When to drink it
A special-occasion bottle for slow, unhurried drinking over several evenings — ideal for wine lovers curious about aged Japanese reds.
Terroir & Winemaking
Made from 100% estate-grown Muscat Bailey A blending old vines (around 40 years) with younger plantings, from a single barrel only. Aged approximately 2 years in oak barrel followed by 5 years of bottle aging before release. ABV 12.5%. Best opened 3-4 days ahead, as the aromatics evolve dramatically — from tight and acid-driven on day one to a powerful, coffee- and dried-cranberry-toned character by day two, settling into a harmonious, savory profile by day four.
About the producer
Horaisan WineryHokuriku's oldest winery, family-run since 1927富山市, 富山県 · Founded 1933Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape is Scarlet Bailey made from?
- 100% estate-grown Muscat Bailey A, blending old vines around 40 years old with younger plantings.
- How was Scarlet Bailey 2018 made?
- It was aged for about two years in oak barrel and then five years in bottle before release, from a single barrel only — making it an ultra-limited bottling.
- How should I drink Scarlet Bailey?
- Open it 3-4 days before finishing the bottle; its aroma and flavor evolve dramatically, from tight and acidic on day one to a rich, coffee-toned power on day two, and a harmonious, savory character by day four.
- Where can I buy Scarlet Bailey?
- It's sold as a limited item through Horaisan Winery's (Yamafuji Grapeland) shop in Fuchu, Toyama, both in person and via its online store.
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