About Kerner Sur Lie
- Style
- White
- Grape Varieties
- Kerner
- Price Range
- ¥3,190
- tax incl., 720ml
- Alcohol
- 12%
Yoichi Winery's signature white, made from 100% Kerner grapes grown in Yoichi, Hokkaido and finished using the sur lie method — resting the wine on its spent yeast lees after fermentation to draw out umami and texture. The result is a medium-dry white with soft, rounded savoriness, notes of Japanese-style citrus, and a faint mineral salinity, built to complement rather than overpower food.
Yoichi Winery's sur lie treatment turns Kerner — normally a light, simple cool-climate grape — into something genuinely umami-driven; it's arguably the most distinctly 'Japanese-food wine' in their whole lineup.
New to wine?
An easy, food-friendly entry point into Japanese white wine — gentle sweetness balanced by savory depth, never sharp or overly acidic.
Food Pairings
Designed to lift Japanese cuisine: pairs especially well with clams, ayu (sweetfish), and bitter-and-savory mountain vegetable dishes, and also works with Camembert-style soft cheeses.
When to drink it
Everyday dinners with Japanese home cooking, seafood-centered meals, or as a Hokkaido souvenir gift.
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Kerner grown in Yoichi, Hokkaido. Vinified and finished sur lie (aged on lees after fermentation) to enhance umami and mouthfeel. Medium-dry style. ABV 12%. 720ml bottle.
About the producer
Yoichi WinerySapporo sake maker's pioneering Yoichi winery since 1974, with gallery, café and restaurant.余市町, 北海道 · Founded 1974Visit the producer page →Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Yoichi Winery's Kerner Sur Lie taste like?
- It is a medium-dry white with soft, rounded umami from the sur lie process, showing Japanese-style citrus notes and a faint mineral salinity rather than sharp acidity.
- What food pairs well with Kerner Sur Lie?
- It was made to complement Japanese cuisine, especially bitter-and-savory dishes like clams, ayu (sweetfish), and mountain vegetables, and it also works with soft cheeses such as Camembert.
- What is the sur lie method used in this wine?
- Sur lie means aging the wine on its spent yeast lees after fermentation instead of racking it off immediately; this extended contact draws out umami compounds and gives the wine a rounder, more savory texture.
- What grape variety is Yoichi Winery's Kerner Sur Lie made from?
- It is made from 100% Kerner, a cool-climate white grape grown in Yoichi, Hokkaido, which is the signature variety of Yoichi Winery.
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