About Yamatsubaki
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Price Range
- ¥6,000-8,000
- estimated; sold mainly via direct allocation
- Alcohol
- 10.5%
Yamatsubaki ("mountain camellia") is Minenokura's flagship 100% Pinot Noir cuvée, grown organically on the winery's cool, high-altitude plots on the western foothills of Mount Yatsugatake in Hara Village, Nagano — at roughly 1,050 meters, among the highest vineyard sites in Japan. Built from Sélection Massale Pinot Noir material, the grapes are typically whole-cluster fermented with a short pre-fermentation maceration, spontaneous wild-yeast fermentation, and full malolactic fermentation, with only minimal sulfite additions at racking and bottling. Vinification details shift subtly by vintage — the 2025 release was briefly aged in a new François Frères oak barrel ('Avec baril'), while the 2024 release was made in a lighter 'Près du rosé' style — but the wine is always released in tiny volumes (roughly 115–300 bottles per vintage), sold largely through direct allocation and a small number of partner restaurants and retailers.
Minenokura's most serious bottling — a savory, mineral-driven Pinot Noir from Japan's highest vineyards that, vintage after vintage, shows how differently 'gentle intervention' can taste.
New to wine?
A rare, tiny-production Pinot Noir from Japan's highest-altitude winery — a gentle way to taste high-altitude terroir without heavy tannins.
Food Pairings
A structured, food-friendly Pinot Noir suited to grilled duck, yakitori with tare sauce, mushroom dishes, and aged hard cheeses; its bright acidity also complements richer preparations of salmon or seared tuna.
When to drink it
Special-occasion dinners, Pinot Noir tastings, sharing with fellow natural-wine enthusiasts.
Terroir & Winemaking
Sélection Massale Pinot Noir grown on Minenokura's own high-altitude plots (approx. 1,050m) on the western foothills of Mt. Yatsugatake. Recent vintages: 2025 — 3-day pre-fermentation maceration, whole-cluster press, wild-yeast fermentation (24 days), MLF (37 days), 2 months in a new François Frères oak barrel ('Avec baril'), Alc. 10.5%, 303 bottles; 2024 — 'Près du rosé' style, 49-day fermentation, 30-day MLF, Alc. 10.5%, 242–298 bottles across two releases; 2023 — full whole-cluster fermentation (20 days), extended 100-day MLF, Alc. 13.0%, 115 bottles. Minimal potassium metabisulfite additions at racking and bottling only.
About the producer
MinenokuraJapan's highest-altitude winery, hand-built in a family kura.原村, 長野県 · Founded 2023Visit the producer page →More wines from Minenokura
Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape is Yamatsubaki made from?
- It is a 100% Pinot Noir cuvée from Sélection Massale vines grown on Minenokura's own plots at roughly 1,050 meters on Mount Yatsugatake's western foothills — among Japan's highest-altitude vineyards.
- Does Yamatsubaki change from year to year?
- Yes — the vinification shifts by vintage. The 2025 release ('Avec baril') was briefly aged in new François Frères oak, the 2024 release ('Près du rosé') was made in a lighter style, and the 2023 release used a longer, 100-day malolactic fermentation, resulting in noticeably different alcohol levels (10.5–13.0%) and styles each year.
- How much Yamatsubaki is made each year?
- Production is tiny — around 115 to roughly 300 bottles per vintage — so it is usually sold through direct allocation and a small number of partner restaurants and retailers rather than general online sale.
- What food pairs well with Yamatsubaki?
- Its bright acidity and moderate tannins pair well with grilled duck, yakitori, mushroom dishes, and richer preparations of salmon or seared tuna.
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