About Yamabudou Spark
- Style
- Red, Sparkling
- Grape Varieties
- Yamabudou
- Price Range
- ¥1,580
- 375ml
- Alcohol
- 8.5%
Yamabudou Spark is a rare domestically-made sparkling red wine from Wine Workshop Aizu (Honda Winery), crafted entirely from wild Yamabudou (Vitis coignetiae) grapes blended from vineyards in Date City's Mt. Ryozen district and the foot of Mt. Bandai near Inawashiro, Fukushima Prefecture. Naturally high in iron and carrying roughly ten times the polyphenol content of a standard red wine, this 8.5% ABV, 375ml sparkler earned recognition in Fukushima's 2014 (Heisei 26) 'New Flavor Development' program for bringing effervescence to an indigenous grape rarely seen in sparkling form.
One of the very few sparkling red wines made purely from Japan's wild Yamabudou grape — its iron-tinged intensity and fine bubbles make it unlike anything else on a Japanese wine list.
New to wine?
A playful, lower-alcohol introduction to Japan's wild Yamabudou grape — the natural fizz makes its intense berry-and-iron character easy and fun to enjoy.
Food Pairings
Its bright acidity and iron-rich, dark-berry character pair well with grilled eel (unagi), yakitori glazed with tare sauce, and aged Gouda; the natural fizz also cuts nicely through lightly smoked dishes.
When to drink it
Casual gatherings, an aperitif, or as a conversation-starting introduction to Japan's indigenous wild grape.
Terroir & Winemaking
Wild Yamabudou (Vitis coignetiae) sourced from Date City's Mt. Ryozen district and the Bandai foothills near Inawashiro, Fukushima; fermented to full dryness with no added sugar or fining agents, then finished with natural effervescence — one of very few domestic red sparkling wines made purely from an indigenous Japanese grape. ABV 8.5%, 375ml bottle.
About the producer
Wine Workshop AizuRare glass-barrel winemaking at the foot of Mt. Bandai猪苗代町, 福島県 · Founded 2005Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape is Yamabudou Spark made from?
- It is made entirely from Yamabudou (Vitis coignetiae), Japan's native wild grape, blended from vines in Date City's Mt. Ryozen district and the Bandai foothills near Inawashiro in Fukushima.
- How is Yamabudou Spark different from Wine Workshop Aizu's still Yamabudou wine?
- Both use the same wild Yamabudou blend from Date and Inawashiro, but Yamabudou Spark is finished with natural effervescence at 8.5% ABV in a 375ml bottle, while the still Yamabudou is a flat red wine at 8% ABV in a 360ml bottle.
- Is Yamabudou Spark sweet or dry?
- Like the winery's other wines, it is fermented to full dryness with no added sugar, giving it a crisp, tart character balanced by the grape's naturally high acidity.
- What food pairs well with Yamabudou Spark?
- Its iron-rich acidity works well with grilled eel, yakitori glazed with tare sauce, aged cheese, and lightly smoked dishes.
- Why is Yamabudou Spark considered unusual among Japanese wines?
- Domestic sparkling red wines are rare, and one made purely from the wild, non-vinifera Yamabudou grape is even rarer — it was recognized in Fukushima's 2014 'New Flavor Development' initiative for this originality.
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