About Rei
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Chardonnay
- Price Range
- ¥3,800-5,100
- varies by vintage
- Alcohol
- 11.2%
Rei is an oak-aged white wine from Sennoyume Winery in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, made from 100% Chardonnay grown by grower Akiba-san in Kaminoyama, Yamagata. Now in its third vintage (2024), it is fermented with wild yeast and aged in old oak barrels for over a year, with no added sugar, acid, or sulfites, and bottled unfiltered. It pours a bright pale gold and opens with citrus freshness and a quince-like richness layered with old-oak nuances of nuts, toast, and gentle vanilla that unfold over time. The palate shows firm, fresh acidity balanced by Chardonnay's characteristic pleasant bitterness and umami depth, becoming rounder and more elongated as it warms in the glass. Each vintage is a tiny, hand-crafted batch -- only 273 bottles for 2024 -- and the alcohol level has varied slightly by year (around 11.2-11.5%), though the grape composition (100% Kaminoyama Chardonnay) has stayed consistent across the 2022-2024 releases, unlike some of the winery's other cuvées whose blends shift each vintage.
One of the most refined oak-aged Chardonnays coming out of Japan's natural wine scene -- Rei proves additive-free winemaking can still deliver real structure and elegance.
New to wine?
An elegant, additive-free Chardonnay with gentle oak notes -- a comfortable entry point for anyone new to Japanese natural wine's barrel-aged whites.
Food Pairings
Pairs beautifully with cream-sauced fish and poultry dishes, where its acidity and umami gently lift the richness of the sauce. Also enjoyable with roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, and semi-hard cheeses.
When to drink it
A special glass to reward yourself after a long day, or an elegant white to serve at a quiet celebratory dinner.
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Chardonnay from Kaminoyama, Yamagata (grower: Akiba-san). Fermented with wild yeast, aged in old oak barrels for over one year with periodic bâtonnage. No added sugar, acid correction, or sulfites; unfiltered. 2024 vintage: ABV 11.2%, 273 bottles produced. Note: ABV has varied slightly by vintage (2022: 11.5%, with roughly one month of primary fermentation after a 3-day skin contact and about 9 months of barrel aging with bâtonnage); the grape composition (100% Kaminoyama Chardonnay) has remained consistent since the wine's debut, unlike some other Sennoyume cuvées (e.g. Hana, Sora) whose blends change every vintage.
About the producer
Sennoyume WineryNatural winemaking rooted in Miyagi's Sanriku coast石巻市, 宮城県Visit the producer page →More wines from Sennoyume Winery
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape is Rei made from?
- Rei is made from 100% Chardonnay grown in Kaminoyama, Yamagata Prefecture, by grower Akiba-san -- a single-varietal wine, unlike some of Sennoyume Winery's other cuvées that blend multiple grapes.
- Does Rei change with each vintage?
- The grape composition (100% Kaminoyama Chardonnay) has stayed consistent across vintages, but the alcohol level and texture shift slightly year to year -- for example 11.2% ABV in 2024 versus 11.5% in 2022 -- and each release is produced in very limited quantities (as few as 273 bottles).
- What does Rei taste like?
- It shows citrus freshness and a quince-like richness layered with old-oak notes of nuts, toast, and gentle vanilla, backed by firm acidity and Chardonnay's characteristic pleasant bitterness and umami, growing rounder and more elongated as it warms in the glass.
- What food pairs well with Rei?
- Cream-sauced fish or poultry dishes are a natural match, and it also works well with roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, and semi-hard cheeses.
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