About Quanesse Yama Sauvignon
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Yama Sauvignon, Merlot
- Price Range
- ¥6,000-7,000
Quanesse Yama Sauvignon is Noto Wine's flagship premium red, crafted to fully express the terroir of the Noto Peninsula. The blend is 90% Yama Sauvignon — a hardy Japanese hybrid of wild Vitis coignetiae and Cabernet Sauvignon — and 10% Merlot, sourced from grapes grown under strict cultivation standards in a special vineyard zone that yields higher sugar and aromatic concentration than the standard lots. The wine is aged roughly 17 months in French oak barrels and bottled unfiltered and unclarified to preserve its full character. It has won gold at the Japan Wine Competition (Kokusan Wine Concours), including in the domestic-improved red variety category.
Noto Wine's true flagship — the wild, earthy intensity of Yama Sauvignon softened and structured by Merlot and 17 months of French oak. A gold-medal-winning benchmark for what Japanese hybrid varieties can achieve.
New to wine?
A bold, full-bodied introduction to Japan's own Yama Sauvignon grape — rich dark-fruit flavors and firm tannins make it a memorable first step into Japanese terroir reds.
Food Pairings
Best with richly flavored grilled meats — venison, lamb, roast beef, and hamburger steak — as well as soy-sauce- or miso-based simmered dishes such as satoimo no nikkorogashi (simmered taro) and tare-glazed yakitori, where the wine's firm tannins cut through the umami and fat.
When to drink it
Special dinners, celebratory gatherings, and thoughtful gifts for wine enthusiasts who value distinctive regional expressions.
Terroir & Winemaking
Yama Sauvignon grapes are hand-harvested from a special cultivation zone under strict canopy and yield management to concentrate sugar and aromatics; blended with 10% Merlot. Aged approximately 17 months in French oak barrels, then bottled unfiltered and unclarified (無濾過・無清澄) to retain full texture and complexity.
About the producer
Noto WineIshikawa's pioneering winery on the Noto Peninsula, famous for unpasteurized 'nama-zume' wine grown in oyster shell-enriched red earth. JWA 2025 award recipient and a symbol of post-earthquake resilience.穴水町, 石川県 · Founded 2004Visit the producer page →More wines from Noto Wine
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Quanesse Yama Sauvignon taste like?
- Concentrated blackberry and dried plum fruit meet earthy notes of mushroom and dried grass, with vanilla and clove spice from French oak aging. The palate is full and round with fine, dense tannins and a long finish.
- What is the grape composition?
- It is a blend of 90% Yama Sauvignon, a Japanese hybrid of wild Vitis coignetiae and Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot.
- What food pairs best with this wine?
- Rich grilled meats such as venison, lamb, and roast beef, as well as soy-sauce- and miso-based Japanese dishes like simmered taro and tare yakitori.
- Has this wine won any awards?
- Yes, Quanesse has won gold at Japan's domestic wine competition (Japan Wine Competition / Kokusan Wine Concours), including in the domestic-improved red variety category.
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