About this wine
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.
An excellent first taste of world-class Japanese wine — light, dry, and easy to enjoy alongside almost any meal.
Sommelier's Note
"The wine that put Tsuruoka's 250-year-old Koshu heritage on the world stage — its IWC 2025 Gold Medal, backed by Keio University's discovery of Sauvignon Blanc-like thiol aromatics, makes this one of the most scientifically interesting Koshu wines being made in Japan today."
Food Pairings
A natural match for delicate seafood — sashimi, sushi, and tempura — as well as grilled white fish and light vegetable dishes. Its citrus-driven acidity and subtle salinity also work well with Japanese dashi-based dishes.
When to drink it
Celebratory dinners, sushi nights, and gifts for wine enthusiasts curious about Japanese terroir.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Koshu
- Style
- White
- Alcohol
- 12%
- Price Range
- ¥2,500-3,500 (720ml)
Terroir & Winemaking
Made from Koshu grapes harvested from vines up to 50-60 years old in Nishi-Araiya, Tsuruoka. Produced using gravity-flow winemaking to move must and wine gently without pumping, with minimal intervention and no pesticides in the vineyard. Scientific analysis by Keio University (2025) confirmed the presence of 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH), a thiol compound associated with tropical and citrus aromatics, above the sensory perception threshold — unusual for Koshu and a marker of the wine's aromatic complexity. ABV approximately 12%.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Pino Collina's Tsuruoka Koshu special?
- It's made from Koshu vines up to 50-60 years old in Tsuruoka's Nishi-Araiya district, a Koshu-growing area with over 250 years of history, and its 2023 vintage won the Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2025.
- What does Tsuruoka Koshu taste like?
- It's a dry, crisp white wine with citrus and yuzu aromatics, subtle salinity, and a mineral finish shaped by Tsuruoka's cool climate.
- What food pairs best with it?
- It pairs beautifully with Japanese cuisine — sashimi, sushi, tempura, and grilled white fish — thanks to its bright acidity and delicate character.
- Is there scientific research behind its aroma?
- Yes — in 2025, Keio University identified 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH), a thiol compound typically associated with Sauvignon Blanc, in Tsuruoka Koshu 2023 at levels above the perception threshold, explaining its distinctive tropical-citrus aromatics.
- Has this wine been served at any notable events?
- Yes — Tsuruoka Koshu 2021 was served at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in 2023, and the 2023 vintage has won the IWC 2025 Gold Medal, a Sakura Awards 2025 Gold, and a Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 Bronze.
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