When it comes to sweet wines, Bordeaux’s Sauternes, Germany, Austria, and Hungary are famous, but many excellent sweet wines are also produced in Japan.
This time, we introduce three sweet wines recommended by "CRAFT WINE SHOP." These are exquisite sweet wines suitable for a wide range of people, from beginners to wine lovers. If you are looking for Japanese sweet wines, please use this as a reference.
Basics of Sweet Wine You Should Know
When people hear "sweet wine," they might imagine wines where sugar is added or sweet grape juice is mixed in, or sweetness is controlled by additives. In reality, high-quality sweet wines are made differently—they retain the "natural sweetness." There are many methods to produce sweet wines, but simply put, the process leaves residual sugar in the wine as described above.
- Yeast (or natural yeast) begins alcoholic fermentation by feeding on the sugar in the grape juice.
- Fermentation is stopped before the yeast consumes all the sugar in the grape juice.
- The wine with residual sugar proceeds to the next stage and is bottled while retaining its sweet flavor.
Therefore, sweet wines do not have artificial sugar added; the sweetness is purely natural. Moreover, since the production process is the same as for dry wines up to a certain point, you can also fully enjoy the grape-derived aromas and acidity. High-quality sweet wines have sweet apricot-like aromas and a smooth mouthfeel, with a well-defined structure and acidity, and a clean finish, resulting in a noble taste.
By the way, sweet wines often use grapes with high or enhanced sugar content, and sometimes more grapes are used than in regular dry wines, so some can be quite expensive. As a side note, the German producer Egon Müller’s top-tier noble rot Riesling, "Trockenbeerenauslese," is famous for fetching prices over 3 million yen per bottle at auctions. (The world's most expensive white wine!)
Sweet wines are rare and special wines with a noble taste among the many wine categories. Not only beginners but also wine lovers who enjoy dry wines should try to enjoy sweet wines.
"CRAFT WINE SHOP" Recommended Sweet Wines: Top 3 Picks
From here, we will introduce three sweet wines recommended by "CRAFT WINE SHOP." These are all high-quality sweet wines that will satisfy both beginners and wine lovers.
Lumiere / Prestige Class Mills 2024
This is a sweet wine crafted by Lumiere, a long-established winery founded in the Meiji era. Lumiere is one of the representative wineries of Yamanashi Prefecture, a renowned wine-producing region in Japan. Not only are their Koshu and Muscat Bailey A wines highly regarded, but their wines made from European grape varieties are also praised for their quality. The "Prestige Class Mills 2024" is a sweet wine made from the Mills grape variety, as the name suggests. Although the wine is white, Mills is actually a black grape variety and is known to be extremely rare in Japan. Mills is a grape variety bred from Muscat Hamburg and Klevener, and it was once widely cultivated in Yamanashi Prefecture. However, due to its delicate nature and light coloration, the number of growers has decreased, and now only a very small amount is cultivated. Toshihiko Tsukamoto, the fourth-generation head of Lumiere, fell in love with the aroma of Mills and asked farmers to cultivate it about 60 years ago. To preserve its elegant aroma and soft taste, Lumiere continues to produce white wine using only the juice of black grapes. (Candy is also produced.) The "Prestige Class Mills" is an important bottle filled with the winery's passion for Mills, characterized by aromas of lychee, pear, and rose, and a soft mouthfeel. You can enjoy the floral aroma of Mills directly, but it has a gentle and light impression, making it easy to drink even for beginners. It also retains a refreshing acidity, resulting in a clean finish. Its pleasant aroma, sweetness, and acidity make it an excellent match for food. It pairs well with a wide range of Japanese cuisine, making it a food-friendly wine.
Lumiere / Prestige Class Mills 2024
3,080 yen including tax
More details about the wine here
Nago Pineapple Winery / Pineapple Sparkling Summer Snow
Nago Pineapple Winery, located in Nago City, Okinawa, was established in 1992 as Japan's southernmost winery. It is known as the first winery in Japan to use "pineapple" as a raw material, continuously producing fruit wines with a tropical resort vibe. Pineapples come with various characteristics, such as fragrant, sharply acidic, or richly ripe flavors. The winery carefully manages quality to bring out the unique personality of each pineapple in their wines and juices. "Pineapple Sparkling Summer Snow" is a sparkling wine made from pineapple, with a golden color full of pineapple essence. Pineapple retains carbon dioxide well during fermentation, resulting in good bubbles, and its citric acid pairs well with the carbonation, making it ideal as a sparkling wine. It features a tropical pineapple aroma, sharp citric acid acidity, and a well-balanced sweetness, with delicate and elegant bubbles. Recommended pairings include sweet and sour pork, fresh spring rolls, and ethnic-style salads that evoke Asian flavors. Of course, it also pairs excellently with sweets, so please give it a try. By the way, the wine's name "Summer Snow" refers to the spawning of coral, perfectly matching the wine's delicate bubbles.
Nago Pineapple Winery / Pineapple Sparkling Summer Snow
2,640 yen (tax included)
More details about the wine here
Koresato Winery / Campbell Rosé
A luxurious sweet rosé wine made from 100% Campbell Early grapes grown in Koresato, Akaiwa City, Okayama Prefecture. Koresato Winery is located in Akaiwa City, Okayama Prefecture, and has been an established winery for over 30 years. The Koresato area is characterized by unique red soil rich in minerals and iron, and grape cultivation has thrived here for a long time by making the most of this soil composition. In 1985, grape farmers in the Koresato area took the lead in starting the production and sale of specialty wines with added value. In 1995, the winery moved its production site to the Okayama Agricultural Park, Germany Forest, where clean winemaking continues today with modern facilities. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 350 meters, known as the "vineyard in the sky," where the red soil and large temperature differences produce high-quality grapes. Koresato Winery embraces nature and is committed to making fruity and aromatic wines that bring out the grape's natural potential. "Campbell Rosé" is a flagship wine of the winery, expressing the bright and clear climate of Akaiwa. It features the glamorous aroma typical of Campbell Early, an endlessly soft texture, and a solid grape-derived sweetness. The finish also has a spicy note, giving it a refined impression beyond just sweetness. Its delicate fruitiness, soft texture, and natural sweetness pair well with Chinese, ethnic, and Japanese cuisine, making it versatile for many occasions. Please enjoy this high-quality rosé wine that expresses the terroir of Akaiwa.
Koresato Winery / Campbell Rosé
2,420 yen including tax
More details about the wine here
Experience bliss with sweet wine!
What a high-quality sweet wine gives us is a strong sense of bliss. The elegant aroma and gentle texture, along with the balance of the grape's natural sweetness and sharp acidity, are the key elements that create a blissful moment. By the way, one charm of sweet wines is their slightly lower alcohol content. The wines introduced here also have low alcohol content, so even those who are not fond of high-alcohol beverages can enjoy them with peace of mind.
- Prestige Class Mills 2024 → 8%
- Pineapple Sparkling Summer Snow → 9%
- Campbell Rosé → 11%
A sweet wine recommended not only for yourself but also as a gift.
Please take this opportunity to try it.
