About this wine
Pino Collina's Gewürztraminer is grown on the pesticide-free slopes of the Matsugaoka plateau in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture — a cool, wind-swept terroir at the foot of Mt. Gassan that was once cultivated as mulberry orchards for Shonai silk. True to the variety's aromatic reputation, the wine bursts with lychee, rose petal, and warm spice, framed by the winery's minimal-intervention, unfiltered approach that lets the Matsugaoka terroir speak for itself. A gentle off-dry finish balances the grape's natural richness with the bright acidity typical of this cool-climate site.
An easy, fragrant entry point for anyone new to aromatic white wines — its lychee and rose aromas are instantly recognizable, and the touch of sweetness makes it approachable even for those who don't usually drink white wine.
Sommelier's Note
"Few Japanese producers commit fully to Gewürztraminer, and Pino Collina's unfiltered, off-dry rendition — grown on former mulberry terraces beneath Mt. Gassan — is one of the most distinctive aromatic whites coming out of Yamagata today."
Food Pairings
The wine's aromatic sweetness and bright acidity make it a natural partner for spiced and umami-rich dishes: Thai green curry, Sichuan-style dishes, and soft, washed-rind cheeses all work well. For a Japanese pairing, try it alongside unagi kabayaki (grilled eel in sweet soy glaze) or salt-grilled tempura, where the wine's lychee-rose aromatics and gentle sweetness cut through richness without overwhelming the dish.
When to drink it
Well suited to spicy dinner parties, aperitif hour with aromatic cheeses, or as a distinctive gift bottle showcasing Japan's emerging natural wine scene.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Gewürztraminer
- Style
- White
- Price Range
- ¥4,000-4,500
Terroir & Winemaking
Grapes are hand-harvested from Pino Collina's pesticide-free plots on the Matsugaoka plateau and vinified with minimal intervention, following the estate's natural (vin naturel) philosophy and gravity-flow production method that moves the wine without pumping. The wine is bottled unfiltered to preserve its aromatic intensity and textural richness, finishing off-dry with balancing acidity.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Pino Collina's Gewürztraminer taste like?
- It shows the variety's signature lychee, rose petal, and warm spice aromas, with an off-dry palate balanced by bright, cool-climate acidity.
- What food pairs well with this wine?
- Spiced Asian dishes like Thai green curry and Sichuan cuisine, soft washed-rind cheeses, and Japanese dishes such as unagi kabayaki or salt-grilled tempura all pair beautifully.
- Is this wine filtered?
- No, it is bottled unfiltered to preserve its full aromatic intensity and textural richness.
- Where are the grapes grown?
- On Pino Collina's pesticide-free vineyard plots on the Matsugaoka plateau in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Gassan.
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Pino Collina Fulfulle Blanc
WhiteSauvignon Blanc · Chardonnay
Fulfulle Blanc is Pino Collina's everyday-table white blend, grown on the historic Matsugaoka plateau in Tsuruoka, Yamagata. It combines Sauvignon Blanc (roughly 51%) with Chardonnay (roughly 49%), both estate-grown under the winery's pesticide-free, low-intervention farming. Fermented in temperature-controlled tanks with minimal handling in keeping with Pino Collina's vin naturel philosophy, the wine shows a pale golden hue, pronounced citrus aromatics, and a fresh, textural bitterness on the finish. 'Fulfulle' (フルフル) is the winery's casual, drink-often line — distinct from prestige bottlings like Tsuruoka Koshu — designed to be an approachable, versatile companion to daily meals rather than a special-occasion showpiece.
鶴岡甲州
Tsuruoka Koshu
WhiteKoshu
Tsuruoka Koshu is Pino Collina's flagship white wine, made from Koshu grapes grown in the Nishi-Araiya district of Tsuruoka City — a site that has cultivated Koshu vines, some over 50-60 years old and largely ungrafted from the original varietal, for more than 250 years. The 2023 vintage earned the top Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2025 in London, along with a Gold at the Sakura Japan Women's Wine Awards 2025 and a Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025. In 2025, researchers at Keio University's Institute for Advanced Biosciences, working with Elsan Winery Matsugaoka and the Yamagata Prefectural Industrial Technology Center, identified 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH) — a key thiol aroma compound more typically associated with Sauvignon Blanc — in Tsuruoka Koshu 2023 at levels above the perception threshold, providing a scientific explanation for its distinctive tropical, citrus-driven aroma. An earlier vintage, Tsuruoka Koshu 2021, was served at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in 2023. The wine is dry and crisp, showing citrus and yuzu aromatics with a subtle salinity and mineral character shaped by the region's cool climate.