About Tsukuba Rouge Premium
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Fuji no Yume, Tannat, Marselan, Merlot
- Price Range
- ¥4,290
Tsukuba Rouge Premium is the mid-tier red in Tsukuba Winery's Twin Peaks lineup, a four-way blend of the domestic hybrid Fuji no Yume (a Merlot × wild mountain grape/yamabudo cross) with the European varieties Tannat, Marselan, and Merlot, all grown on the granite-derived soils at the foot of Mount Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. The blend is roughly 57% Fuji no Yume, 20% Tannat, 17% Marselan, and 6% Merlot (ratios vary slightly by vintage), and it is aged in oak barrels for about 10 months, giving it a soft gradation of flavor, gentle depth, and silky tannins beyond the entry-level, single-varietal Tsukuba Rouge. It sits below the winery's flagship Twin Peaks red bottlings, which are made entirely from European varieties without Fuji no Yume.
The four-grape blend and 10 months in oak give Tsukuba Rouge Premium real gradation of flavor that the single-varietal base Tsukuba Rouge simply doesn't have — this is the bottle to reach for when you want Ibaraki red wine with more depth, without stepping all the way up to the Twin Peaks line.
New to wine?
A gentle step up from Tsukuba Winery's entry-level red — soft tannins and oak-rounded fruit make it approachable even for those new to Japanese red wine.
Food Pairings
The winery's own pairing suggestions are roasted chicken thigh, pork ginger (shogayaki), teriyaki chicken, sukiyaki, and roast duck. The soft tannins and gentle oak richness also work well with grilled Japanese black beef, yakitori with tare sauce, and simmered dishes seasoned with soy and mirin.
When to drink it
A versatile everyday-premium red for dinner with friends, teriyaki or sukiyaki nights, and casual gifting.
Terroir & Winemaking
A blend of approximately 57% Fuji no Yume (Merlot × yamabudo hybrid), 20% Tannat, 17% Marselan, and 6% Merlot, all hand-harvested from the winery's own vineyards on Mount Tsukuba's granite-derived soils. Aged in oak barrels for approximately 10 months. Dry, medium-bodied, 750ml.
About the producer
Tsukuba WineryVineyard-to-bottle wines from the foot of Mount Tsukubaつくば市, 茨城県 · Founded 2012Visit the producer page →More wines from Tsukuba Winery
- PRIMO ROUGERed · Fuji no Yume
- PRIMO SAKURARosé · Muscat Bailey A
- Primo SparklingSparkling · Fuji no Yume
- SPARKLING BLANCSparkling · Hokuten no Shizuku
- SPARKLING Muscat Bailey ASparkling · Muscat Bailey A
- SPARKLING ROSESparkling · Fuji no Yume
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between Tsukuba Rouge Premium and the standard Tsukuba Rouge?
- Tsukuba Rouge (standard) is made from 100% Fuji no Yume and is not described by the winery as oak-aged for an extended period. Tsukuba Rouge Premium blends Fuji no Yume with Tannat, Marselan, and Merlot and is aged in oak barrels for about 10 months, giving it more depth, softer tannins, and a higher price (¥4,290 vs. ¥3,190).
- What grape varieties are used in Tsukuba Rouge Premium?
- It is a blend of roughly 57% Fuji no Yume (a Merlot × yamabudo/wild mountain grape hybrid), 20% Tannat, 17% Marselan, and 6% Merlot, all grown at Tsukuba Winery's own vineyards on Mount Tsukuba's granite-derived soils.
- How is Tsukuba Rouge Premium different from the Twin Peaks red wines?
- Tsukuba Rouge Premium keeps the domestic hybrid Fuji no Yume as its base grape, blended with smaller amounts of European varieties. The winery's Twin Peaks red bottlings (such as Twin Peaks Marselan) are made entirely from European varieties without Fuji no Yume, and sit at a higher price point as the winery's flagship reds.
- What food pairs well with Tsukuba Rouge Premium?
- The winery recommends roasted chicken thigh, pork ginger (shogayaki), teriyaki chicken, sukiyaki, and roast duck — dishes with a touch of savory sweetness that complement the wine's soft tannins and oak-rounded fruit.
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