Sakura Vineyard
サクラヴィンヤード
Reviving abandoned Chiba farmland into rosé sparkling wine
Sakura Vineyard is a Chiba Prefecture winery founded in 2019 by a Sakura City native who, after years producing television variety shows, was inspired to make wine following a shoot in Germany. Rather than starting from scratch, the founder began converting abandoned farmland (耕作放棄地) around the city into vineyards, now cultivating roughly one hectare planted to Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Sakura City sits on the Shimousa Plateau in northern Chiba, an inland site with low rainfall, the cold Tsukuba-oroshi wind, and Kanto loam volcanic soil laid down by ancient eruptions of Mt. Fuji and Hakone — conditions that push for concentrated, well-structured fruit. Wines are currently vinified in partnership with a winery in Ushiku, Ibaraki, while the founder — a J.S.A. Wine Expert (2019) and WSET Level 3 (2021) holder — works toward building a dedicated winery with childcare and a dog run on site. The debut 2024 vintage includes a bottle-fermented rosé sparkling wine, a 1:1 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, released in a run of just 216 bottles.
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Who Is This For?
For wine lovers drawn to small-batch Japanese sparkling wines with a personal, land-regeneration story behind every bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Sakura Vineyard's winemaking story?
- Founded in 2019 by a Sakura City native and former TV variety-show producer who discovered a passion for wine after a shoot in Germany, the winery reclaims abandoned farmland around the city and turns it into vineyards.
- Where are Sakura Vineyard's wines made?
- Grapes are grown on roughly one hectare in Sakura City, Chiba, and currently vinified in partnership with a winery in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, while the founder plans a dedicated on-site winery.
- What is Sakura Vineyard's signature wine?
- A bottle-fermented rosé sparkling wine made from a 1:1 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, released in a limited run of just 216 bottles from the 2024 vintage.
- What grape varieties does Sakura Vineyard grow?
- Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc, suited to the cool, inland climate of the Shimousa Plateau.