About this wine
CatWalk Merlot is Kuju Winery's signature red bottling, named after the two resident winery cats that watch over fermentation from the factory window — the wine given the CatWalk name each year is the estate's proudest work. It is a blend of estate-grown and contract-grower Merlot from the 850m-elevation Kuju Highlands, fermented with a combination of wild and cultivated yeast and aged in oak barrels for about a year. The result is a restrained, elegant red marked by dark fruit and earthy aromas, mineral and spice nuances, a smoky complexity, and the bright, cool-climate acidity typical of Kuju's highland terroir. The 2022 vintage was awarded Silver at the Japan Wine Competition 2024, continuing a string of medals for the CatWalk series (whose sibling Chardonnay CatWalk has taken Gold and category-best honors).
One retailer summed it up as 'restraint that creates its own sense of luxury' — a great entry point for red-wine beginners who want elegance without heaviness.
Sommelier's Note
"Restraint is exactly what makes this wine feel luxurious — dark fruit and earth, spice and smoke, all held together by the bright, mineral acidity of Kuju's highland terroir."
Food Pairings
Merlot's soft tannins and dark-fruit sweetness pair naturally with tare-glazed yakitori, sukiyaki, and okonomiyaki, and its cocoa-like undertone makes it a good match for berry-filled dark chocolate.
When to drink it
The wine named for Kuju Winery's two resident cats each year — a fitting bottle for celebratory dinners, gifting, or marking a special milestone.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Merlot
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Price Range
- ¥4,800-5,000
Terroir & Winemaking
Blend of Kuju estate-grown and contract-grower Merlot from the 850m-elevation Kuju Highlands (Oita Prefecture); fermented using a combination of wild and cultivated yeast, then barrel-aged for approximately 12 months. 720ml bottle, ABV 12.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is it called CatWalk Merlot?
- CatWalk is the name Kuju Winery gives each year to its proudest bottling, in honor of the two resident winery cats that watch over fermentation from the factory window.
- What does CatWalk Merlot taste like?
- It shows dark fruit and earthy aromas with mineral, spice, and smoky nuances, balanced by the bright acidity typical of Kuju's cool, high-altitude vineyards.
- What food pairs well with CatWalk Merlot?
- It pairs well with tare-glazed yakitori, sukiyaki, and okonomiyaki, and its cocoa-like note also works with berry-filled dark chocolate.
- Has CatWalk Merlot won any awards?
- The 2022 vintage was awarded Silver at the Japan Wine Competition 2024, part of a strong medal record for the CatWalk series overall.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
久住ワイナリー エボニー
Kuju Winery EBONY
RedEbony (wild grape × Merlot hybrid)
Kuju Winery EBONY is a landmark Japanese red made from 'Ebony,' an original grape variety the winery bred by crossing wild mountain grapes (yamabudo) native to the Kuju Highlands with Merlot — a cross formerly known during development as 'Kushifuru no Yume.' Grapes are left on the vine as long as possible to push sugar levels into the 26-32 Brix range, concentrating the wild grape's naturally intense acidity and pigment. The result is a full-bodied, bone-dry red with an almost jet-black (ebony) color, deep black-fruit concentration, black pepper spice, and a distinctive wild, savory umami character rarely found in Japanese wine. The 2020 vintage won the Gold Award and top prize in its category at Japan's 1st Yamabudo (Wild Grape) Wine Competition, cementing EBONY's status as one of Kuju Winery's signature bottlings.
シャルドネ キャットウォーク
CatWalk Chardonnay
WhiteChardonnay
CatWalk Chardonnay is Kuju Winery's flagship white bottling, named — like its sibling CatWalk Merlot — after the two resident winery cats that watch over fermentation from the factory window; the CatWalk label is reserved each year for the estate's proudest work. Made from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay farmed at 850m elevation in the Kuju Highlands, the wine is fermented and aged in oak barrels for roughly six months. The result is a clean, fruit-forward white with aromas of white peach, grapefruit, pineapple and nectarine layered with subtle notes of nut, honey and butter from barrel contact, carried by the bright, three-dimensional acidity typical of Kuju's cool highland terroir and a long finish. The 2021 vintage won Gold at the Japan Wine Competition 2023, and a special hand-picked 'Nightharvest' edition — grapes harvested at midnight under moonlight to preserve higher acidity — took Gold plus the category's top award the same year, cementing CatWalk Chardonnay's status as one of Kyushu's most decorated white wines.
高原の雫
Kuju Winery Kougen no Shizuku
WhitedessertSteuben
Kougen no Shizuku ("Highland's Dewdrop") is Kuju Winery's signature ice wine, one of only a handful of true ice wines produced in Japan. Made from Steuben grapes grown at the winery's own vineyard 850 meters up in the Kuju Highlands of Oita Prefecture, the grapes are left on the vine into the depths of winter and allowed to freeze naturally before pressing, concentrating their sugars and flavor several times over. The result is a lusciously sweet, honey-gold dessert wine with intense notes of ripe mango and honey. Because natural freeze-concentration is unpredictable and juice yields are tiny, Kougen no Shizuku has historically been released only in small, numbered batches — as few as 58 bottles in some vintages — making it one of Kuju Winery's rarest and most sought-after bottlings.