About this wine
Part of La Belle Vigne's 'Tentomushi' (Ladybug) series, this dry white is made from 100% fully ripened Delaware grapes grown in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi. The must is fermented with wild, natural yeast with no added sugar (chaptalization), then aged in barrel before being bottled unfiltered to preserve the grape's natural texture and aromatic purity. The result is a light, dry expression of Delaware that moves well beyond the variety's usual candy-sweet, grapey image, showing a cloudy, hazy appearance typical of unfiltered natural wine.
A great way to discover that Delaware can make a serious, dry, food-friendly wine — not just the sweet, simple style it's best known for.
Sommelier's Note
"A rare take on Delaware — barrel-aged and left unfiltered, it trades the grape's usual candied sweetness for a dry, textured, food-ready white that shows what small-production Japanese winemaking can do with an underrated variety."
Food Pairings
Its light body and gentle barrel-derived roundness make it versatile at the table — good with both Japanese and Western dishes, particularly lighter meat preparations and dishes finished with cream or white sauce.
When to drink it
Casual weeknight dinners, izakaya-style meals, and everyday pairing with Japanese home cooking.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Delaware
- Style
- White
- Price Range
- ¥3,000-4,500 (estimate, based on comparable small-lot Yamanashi barrel-aged Delaware wines)
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Delaware, hand-harvested at full ripeness in Katsunuma, Koshu City. Fermented with indigenous wild yeast, no sugar addition (no chaptalization). Aged in barrel, bottled unfiltered.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this wine sweet like typical Delaware wines?
- No. Unlike the sweeter, grapey styles Delaware is best known for in Japan, this is a dry white, fermented without added sugar and aged in barrel.
- Why does the wine look cloudy?
- It is bottled unfiltered to preserve the natural texture and aroma of the wine, which is why it may appear slightly hazy rather than bright and clear.
- What food does it pair well with?
- It works well with both Japanese and Western dishes, especially lighter meat dishes and anything finished with cream or white sauce, as well as tempura and sashimi.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
ラベルヴィーニュ 甲州
La Belle Vigne Koshu
WhiteKoshu
La Belle Vigne Koshu is the winery's signature dry white, made from 100% Koshu grapes grown on the estate's own vineyards in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi. Fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks to preserve delicate aromatics, it shows a pale straw colour with a faint grey-pink tinge. The nose favours Japanese citrus — iyokan, hassaku and ponkan — over lemon or grapefruit, layered with fresh herbal nuances. On the palate it is smooth and clean, with crisp acidity, ripe fruit in the mid-palate, and a pleasant bitter, umami-tinged finish typical of well-made Koshu.
ラベルヴィーニュ マスカット・ベーリーA
La Belle Vigne Muscat Bailey A
RedMuscat Bailey A
La Belle Vigne Muscat Bailey A is the winery's signature dry red, made from 100% Muscat Bailey A grapes grown in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi. Vinified with minimal intervention in keeping with the estate's philosophy of treating winemaking as an extension of viticulture, it shows the variety's classic sweet-and-sour red berry aromatics — strawberry and wild berry — layered with a savory, umami-tinged finish rather than the candied, foxy notes MBA can sometimes show. Light-to-medium in body with soft, approachable tannins, it drinks well young and offers excellent value for a hand-crafted, single-estate Japanese red.