Soleil Wine
ソレイユワイン（旭洋酒）
Gentle, food-friendly wines from a family winery near Katsunuma.
About Soleil Wine
- Founded
- 2002
- 24 years ago
- Location
- 山梨市
- 山梨県
- Wines listed
- 14
- White 7, Rosé 1, Red 6
- Main grapes
- Koshu, Syrah, Merlot
Soleil Wine is the brand of Asahi Yoshu, a small family-run winery in a quiet residential area of Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Originally a farmers' cooperative winery founded in the Showa era by roughly 380 local households, it was on the verge of closing in 2001 when the Suzuki couple, previously winemakers at a historic Katsunuma winery, took it over. Named after Aesop's fable 'The North Wind and the Sun,' Soleil Wine aims to win people over through gentleness rather than force. The winery uses grapes only from its own small vineyard (under 1 hectare) and from trusted local farmers within a 5km radius, grown with low-pesticide, cover-crop viticulture, and bottles most wines unfiltered to preserve a soft, food-friendly character. Its wines have been recognized internationally, including a Koshu served at the spouses' dinner during the 2008 G8 Toyako Summit and a four-star rating in the Japan Winery Award.
Who Is This For?
For drinkers who want quiet, unfiltered Japanese wines that support daily meals rather than dominate them, and who appreciate a small producer's story of reviving a near-defunct village cooperative.
Wines of Soleil Wine
White7
Location & Nearby
- Address
- 山梨県山梨市小原東857-1View map ↗
- Founded
- 2002
Source: soleilwine.jp (checked Sep 2026)
The pin with the gold outline marks Soleil Wine.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the winemaking philosophy behind Soleil Wine?
- Modeled on Aesop's fable 'The North Wind and the Sun,' Soleil Wine aims to be the sun rather than the wind — persuading drinkers through gentle comfort rather than forceful power, so the wines are made to be enjoyed daily with food rather than admired on their own.
- Where does Soleil Wine source its grapes?
- All grapes come from the winery's own vineyard of under 1 hectare and from trusted local farmers within a 5km radius of the winery in Yamanashi City, grown with low-pesticide, cover-crop (grass-growing) viticulture so the owners can personally oversee every vine.
- How did Asahi Yoshu, the company behind Soleil Wine, come to exist?
- It began in the Showa era as a farmers' cooperative winery run by roughly 380 local households. When the cooperative dissolved and the winery faced closure in 2001, the Suzuki couple, who had trained at a historic Katsunuma winery, took it over and relaunched it as Soleil Wine.
- Has Soleil Wine received any notable recognition?
- Yes. A single-vineyard Koshu from the winery was served at the spouses' dinner during the 2008 G8 Toyako Summit, and Soleil Wine has received a four-star rating (out of five) in the Japan Winery Award since 2020.
- What does Soleil Wine's Koshu taste like?
- Made from 100% Yamanashi-grown Koshu and typically unfiltered, it shows notes of citrus, white flowers, and beeswax, with a dry, crisp, refreshing profile and a slightly fuller texture than filtered Koshu wines.