Tomi Red
登美 赤
Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery
Petit Verdot · Merlot · Cabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Franc
About this wine
Tomi Red is the flagship red wine of Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery, produced since 1986 from the estate's own hillside vineyards in Kai City, Yamanashi. A Bordeaux-style blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc — with the exact ratio changing each vintage depending on the harvest — it is hand-harvested, rigorously sorted, and aged roughly 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels (around a third to two-fifths new). Deep garnet in color, it shows dark cherry, blackcurrant, and violet aromas layered with cedar, spice, and well-integrated tannins on a medium-to-full body. In 1997 it became the first Japanese wine to win a gold medal at Les Citadelles du Vin in Bordeaux (2003), a milestone that put Japanese fine wine on the world stage.
A refined, Bordeaux-inspired Japanese red — a great choice if you want to see how far Japanese winemaking has come.
Sommelier's Note
"Tomi Red was the wine that first proved Japanese reds could compete on the world stage — its 2003 Bordeaux gold medal remains a landmark for the entire industry."
Food Pairings
Excellent with grilled wagyu beef, beef cheek braised in red wine, roasted lamb, and aged hard cheeses. The firm tannins and dark fruit also stand up well to rich, soy- or miso-based simmered dishes.
When to drink it
Milestone celebrations, formal dinners, and special gifts for wine enthusiasts.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
- Style
- Red
- Price Range
- ¥15,000-20,000
Terroir & Winemaking
Hand-harvested and hand-sorted grapes from the estate's own hillside plots. Aged approximately 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels (roughly 30-40% new). Alcohol content typically around 13.5% ABV. Best served at 16-18°C, decanted or allowed to breathe in a large glass to soften the tannins.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape varieties are used in Tomi Red?
- It is a Bordeaux-style blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grown on the estate; the exact ratio changes each vintage.
- What does Tomi Red taste like?
- Deep garnet in color with dark cherry, blackcurrant, and violet aromas, layered with cedar and spice from French oak aging, firm but well-integrated tannins, and a long finish.
- What food pairs best with Tomi Red?
- Grilled wagyu beef, beef cheek braised in red wine, roasted lamb, aged hard cheeses, and rich soy- or miso-based Japanese simmered dishes such as sukiyaki.
- Why is Tomi Red historically significant?
- Its 1997 vintage became the first Japanese wine to win a gold medal at Les Citadelles du Vin in Bordeaux in 2003, a breakthrough moment for Japanese fine wine on the international stage.
- How should Tomi Red be served?
- Serve at 16-18°C, ideally decanted or given time to breathe in a large glass so the tannins soften and the aromas open up.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
登美 白
Tomi White
WhiteChardonnay
Tomi White is the flagship white wine of Suntory's Tomi no Oka Winery, made entirely from estate-grown Chardonnay subjected to strict yield limitation on the winery's own vineyards in Yamanashi. Fermented and aged in French oak barrels, it is regarded as the pinnacle expression of European white varieties in Japan. The 2011 vintage won the Japan Wine Special Award and a Gold Medal at Les Citadelles du Vin in Bordeaux. Beginning with the 2023 vintage, the wine was renamed 'Tomi Chardonnay' after 'Tomi Koshu' joined the flagship lineup, but it remains the same Chardonnay-based wine historically sold as Tomi White.
登美 ノーブルドール
Tomi Noble d'Or
WhiteSweetRiesling Italico
Tomi Noble d'Or is Japan's pioneering noble rot (botrytized) wine, first produced by Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery from grapes harvested in 1975 and released in 1978. Made from 100% Riesling Italico grown on the estate's south-facing Yamanashi hillside, the wine is possible only in exceptional vintages when Botrytis cinerea develops evenly across the vineyard. Berries are hand-picked one by one once sugar levels reach 45-50 Brix, further sorted by tweezers and by scent, then fermented slowly at low temperature in small tanks over roughly two months before resting for about eight years prior to release. Deep golden in color, it is released in strictly limited quantities (often fewer than 1,200 bottles per vintage) and has repeatedly won top honors, including the Ljubljana International Wine Competition Grand Gold Medal (1990 vintage) and Japan Wine Competition gold medals for multiple vintages.
登美の丘 甲州スパークリング
Tominooka Koshu Sparkling
WhiteSparklingKoshu
Tominooka Koshu Sparkling is Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery's traditional-method sparkling wine, made from 100% estate-grown Koshu grapes hand-harvested from the winery's own hillside vineyard in Kai City, Yamanashi. Unlike mass-market Charmat-method sparklers, it undergoes true bottle fermentation (méthode champenoise) with extended lees aging of roughly 16 to 24 months depending on the vintage, followed by hand riddling (remuage) — bottle by bottle, entirely by hand rather than by machine — and manual disgorgement and dosage. No malolactic fermentation is used, preserving Koshu's natural bright acidity. The wine was first released with the 2014 vintage in a tiny run of only 1,560 bottles before production paused; it returned with the 2021 vintage as the winery's first traditional-method release in years, continuing with 2022 and subsequent vintages.