About Shizuku
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Yamabudo
- Price Range
- ¥3,200
- tax included, 750ml, reference price
- Alcohol
- 11.5%
Shizuku is Suzumi-no-oka Winery's flagship red, made from 100% Noda Village-grown wild mountain grapes (yamabudo, native Kuzumaki and other indigenous varieties). The must undergoes extended maceration on the skins for more than three weeks to draw out yamabudo's untamed aroma and savory depth, followed by a one-month secondary fermentation after pressing for a slow, deliberate finish. The result is a deep reddish-purple wine with the variety's characteristically firm acidity, framed by blackberry fruit and an earthy, wild undertone.
This is yamabudo winemaking at its most direct — firm, bracing acidity wrapped in blackberry and forest-floor notes that no cultivated grape can replicate.
New to wine?
A bold, structured introduction to Japan's wild grape wines — expect assertive acidity and dark berry fruit unlike standard table reds.
Food Pairings
The firm acidity and earthy structure stand up well to grilled or braised red meats, game, and hearty stews. In Japanese cuisine, it pairs especially well with Iwate's short-horned Tankaku beef and Nanbu Fukurai pork, as well as simmered dishes seasoned with soy and miso.
When to drink it
Hearty dinners featuring grilled or stewed meats, autumn and winter gatherings.
Terroir & Winemaking
Fermented with extended skin contact (over 3 weeks of maceration) to extract yamabudo's wild aroma and phenolic depth, then given a further month of secondary fermentation after pressing. ABV 11.5%.
About the producer
Suzumi-no-oka WineryWild mountain-grape wine aged in an old mine tunnel野田村, 岩手県 · Founded 2016Visit the producer page →More wines from Suzumi-no-oka Winery
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Shizuku (red) taste like?
- It shows a deep reddish-purple color with yamabudo's signature firm acidity, concentrated blackberry fruit, and an earthy, wild undertone from over three weeks of skin-contact fermentation.
- How is Shizuku (red) different from Shizuku Rosé?
- The red uses native Kuzumaki-type yamabudo fermented on the skins for 3+ weeks with a red-wine yeast (ABV 11.5%), giving it deeper color, firmer acidity, and blackberry/earthy notes, while the Rosé uses different yamabudo strains (Nomura and Yamashita types) fermented with white-wine yeast (ABV 10.5%) for a lighter, cherry-and-raspberry style suited to seafood.
- What food pairs best with it?
- Grilled or braised red meats and game, and in Japanese cuisine especially Iwate's Tankaku beef or Nanbu Fukurai pork, plus soy- or miso-simmered dishes.
- Is Shizuku made from 100% wild grapes?
- Yes — it is fermented exclusively from yamabudo (native Kuzumaki-type and other indigenous varieties) grown in Noda Village, with no blending of cultivated Vitis vinifera grapes.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the Sommelier