About Tsukikage
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- Price Range
- ¥3,000-3,999
Tsukikage — meaning "moonlight" — is the summer-label (夕ラベル) bottling in Inishie no Sato Winery's standard Four Seasons series (冬春夏秋シリーズ), the Nagano producer's everyday line that sits below its rare Famille series flagships such as Cuvée Kuniko. Like the winery's other reds, it is grown on the high-elevation vineyards of the Kitaono district (roughly 850m) in Shiojiri's Kikyogahara wine valley, where a wide diurnal swing preserves bright acidity. The blend pairs Merlot with a portion of Cabernet Franc, giving the wine more structure and herbal lift than the winery's lighter spring-label reds. The 2022 vintage won a Silver Medal at the Japan Wine Competition 2024, entered at a retail price of ¥3,850, consistent with the summer-label's roughly ¥3,000-range pricing tier that the winery uses to categorize its Four Seasons wines by achieved quality.
Don't let the modest summer-label price fool you — grown on the same 850m Kitaono slopes as the winery's award-winning Famille series, Tsukikage delivers real structure for a summer-tier bottle.
New to wine?
A friendly, mid-weight red that shows what Inishie no Sato's high-elevation Kitaono terroir can do without the price tag of the winery's flagship blends — a good first step before trying Cuvée Kuniko.
Food Pairings
Its bright acidity and moderate tannin make it a versatile match for grilled chicken with tare sauce (yakitori), pork ginger stir-fry (shogayaki), and mushroom rice, as well as classic pairings like roast lamb or aged hard cheeses.
When to drink it
Everyday summer dinners, casual barbecues, and as an easy-drinking introduction to this Shiojiri producer's red wines.
Terroir & Winemaking
Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc, grown in the Kitaono district (approx. 850m elevation) of the Kikyogahara wine valley, Shiojiri, Nagano — the same high-altitude vineyards used for the winery's Famille-series flagships. 750ml bottle; the 2022 vintage was entered in the Japan Wine Competition 2024 at ¥3,850 and won a Silver Medal (product code MrCF-0004).
About the producer
Inishie no Sato WineryChef-turned-vintner's wines from Shiojiri's highest vines塩尻市, 長野県 · Founded 2017Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the name Tsukikage mean?
- Tsukikage (月影) means "moonlight" or "moon shadow" in Japanese, part of Inishie no Sato Winery's practice of giving each seasonal label a distinct, evocative name.
- What grapes are in Tsukikage?
- It's a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, both grown in the high-elevation Kitaono district of Shiojiri's Kikyogahara wine valley.
- Is Tsukikage part of the winery's top Famille series?
- No — Tsukikage is the "summer" (夕) label in the winery's standard Four Seasons series, a separate and more accessible line from the rare Famille series that includes Cuvée Kuniko.
- Has Tsukikage won any awards?
- Yes, the 2022 vintage won a Silver Medal at the Japan Wine Competition 2024.
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