About this wine
Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu is Grace Wine's flagship single-vineyard Koshu, grown on trellis-trained vines in the Misawa Vineyard in Akeno, Hokuto City, Yamanashi — an area with the longest sunshine hours in Japan at roughly 700m elevation. Made from Koshu grapes cultivated since 1992 without chaptalization, acid adjustment, or sur lie aging, it lets the grape's natural character speak for itself. The 2013 vintage became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Medal and Regional Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) in 2014, and later vintages went on to win further DWWA Platinum and Gold honors, cementing this cuvée's status as a landmark for Japanese Koshu.
The wine that proved Japanese Koshu can compete on the world stage — clean, precise, and effortlessly food-friendly.
Sommelier's Note
"The wine that put Japanese Koshu on the world map — the first Japanese wine ever to win Gold and a Regional Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards. If you want proof that Koshu can be world-class, start here."
Food Pairings
A natural match for delicate Japanese cuisine — sushi, sashimi, tempura, and steamed white fish. Its crisp acidity and citrus-mineral core also complement grilled seafood, chawanmushi, and light herb-dressed vegetable dishes.
When to drink it
Special celebrations, fine Japanese dining, or as a standout gift for wine enthusiasts curious about Japan's flagship white grape.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Koshu
- Style
- White
- Alcohol
- 11%
- Price Range
- ¥7,500-9,500
Terroir & Winemaking
Hand-harvested Koshu from trellis-trained vines planted from 1992 onward in the Misawa Vineyard (Akeno, ~700m elevation). Fermented in stainless steel at controlled low temperatures; no chaptalization, acid adjustment, or sur lie aging is used, preserving the grape's natural aromatics of green apple, pear, white flowers, fennel, and a mineral, seashell-like finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu special?
- Its 2013 vintage became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Medal and Regional Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards, proving Koshu can achieve world-class quality.
- What does it taste like?
- Crisp acidity with aromas of green apple, pear, white flowers, and fennel, finishing with a distinct seashell-like minerality.
- What food pairs well with it?
- It pairs beautifully with Japanese cuisine, especially sushi, sashimi, tempura, and other delicate seafood dishes.
- Where are the grapes grown?
- In the Misawa Vineyard in Akeno, Hokuto City, Yamanashi, at roughly 700m elevation — an area with the longest sunshine hours in Japan.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
キュヴェ三澤 赤
Cuvée Misawa Rouge
RedCabernet Sauvignon · Merlot · Cabernet Franc · Petit Verdot
Cuvée Misawa Rouge is Grace Wine's flagship Bordeaux-style red blend, grown at the estate's own Misawa Vineyard in Akeno, Hokuto City (Yamanashi) at roughly 700m elevation — one of the sunniest, most diurnal sites in Japan. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is vinified and aged separately by variety before blending, then matured in French oak for about 15 months and bottled without fining or filtration. Vintage composition varies year to year depending on ripening conditions, and the wine is only produced in years judged good enough. Critics have compared it to a very good Bordeaux classified growth, noting cassis, blackberry, black pepper, mocha and toasted-oak notes alongside a savory, medium-bodied palate.
グレイス・ワイン 甲州
Grace Wine Koshu
WhiteKoshu
Grace Wine (Chuo Budoshu) makes one of Japan's finest Koshu wines from old vine plots in Yamanashi, achieving international recognition for this indigenous grape.
グリド甲州
Gris de Koshu
WhiteKoshu
Gris de Koshu is Grace Wine's pioneering skin-contact ('orange wine') expression of the Koshu grape, first produced in 1999 after the winery's fourth-generation owner was inspired by the potential of Pinot Gris during a visit to Alsace. The name combines 'Gris' — the French word for the pale grayish-pink hue of Koshu's grape skins — with 'de'. Unlike standard Koshu, the juice is fermented and macerated with its skins (in some lots for several weeks, across stainless tank, wooden vat, and thermo-maceration lots that are later blended), extracting a salmon-pink-tinged, deep lemon color along with extra texture, aromatics, and a distinctive gentle bitterness. In 2012 it became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Medal and Regional Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards in its category, cementing its reputation as a landmark example of Koshu's potential beyond conventional winemaking.