About Yamaguchi Winery
- Founded
- 1999
- 27 years ago
- Location
- 山陽小野田市
- 山口県
- Wines listed
- 15
- White 4, Rosé 1, Red 9, Sweet 1
- Main grapes
- Muscat Bailey A, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Yamaguchi Winery is the winemaking division of Nagayama Shuzo Gomei-gaisha, a sake and shochu brewery founded in 1887 in Sanyo-Onoda City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Determined to prove that world-class wine could be made in Sanyo-Onoda's rainy climate, the Nagayama family planted its own vineyard in 1995 on alkaline soil linked to the nearby Akiyoshidai karst plateau, and opened the winery in 1999. Under fifth-generation president Jun'ichiro Nagayama, the roughly one-hectare estate grows European varieties -- Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot -- alongside the Japanese variety Muscat Bailey A, using rain-cut trellising to manage the region's heavy rainfall. Its oak-aged flagship red, Chateau Yamaguchi, has earned recognition at international wine competitions, and the estate stands as the only winery in Yamaguchi Prefecture producing wine from its own vineyard.
Who Is This For?
For those curious about lesser-known Japanese wine regions, and fans of sake breweries expanding into serious grape winemaking.
Wines of Yamaguchi Winery
White4
Red9
- Château Yamaguchi Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon
- Château Yamaguchi Merlot & Cabernet Franc Barrel Aged 2006Merlot · Cabernet Franc
- Château Yamaguchi Merlot Barrel Aged 2004Merlot
- Château Yamaguchi Vigneron RedCabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Franc
- Château Yamaguchi Xavier RosarioMuscat Bailey A
- Yamaguchi Wine AsagiMuscat Bailey A · Cabernet Sauvignon
- Yamaguchi Wine Choshu Five RedMuscat Bailey A
- Yamaguchi Wine Soleyne RedMuscat Bailey A
- Yamaguchi Wine Vintage RedMuscat Bailey A
Location & Nearby
- Address
- 山口県山陽小野田市大字厚狭石束1985View map ↗
- Founded
- 1999
Source: yamanosake.com (checked Sep 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Yamaguchi Winery affiliated with a sake brewery?
- Yes. It is the winemaking division of Nagayama Shuzo Gomei-gaisha, a sake and shochu brewery in Sanyo-Onoda City founded in 1887, known for the sake brand 'Yamazaru' and the shochu 'Netaro'.
- What grape varieties does Yamaguchi Winery grow?
- Mainly Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, along with the Japanese variety Muscat Bailey A, cultivated on the estate's own roughly one-hectare vineyard in Sanyo-Onoda City.
- What is the winery's flagship wine?
- Chateau Yamaguchi, an oak-aged wine series that has received recognition at international competitions, including a silver medal at the 2021 Bordeaux Sake Challenge.
- Can visitors tour Yamaguchi Winery?
- Yes, the winery welcomes visitors on weekends and holidays, with vineyard and winery tours available by advance reservation.