Japan Premium Koshu
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Sushi and sashimi, vegetable tempura, grilled white fish
✨ Technical Specifications
Suntory's Japan Premium Koshu is a tribute to Japan's signature indigenous grape variety, Koshu, which has been cultivated in the shadow of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture for over a millennium. Legend has it that the grape was discovered growing wild at the Daizen-ji temple in 718 AD by the Buddhist monk Gyoki, who was instructed in a vision to cultivate it for its medicinal properties. Suntory crafts this elegant white wine using modern temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation to preserve the delicate, pristine aromatics of the grape. The terroir of Yamanashi, characterized by volcanic soils, high rainfall mitigated by overhead pergola training, and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, imparts a distinctive mineral tension. The wine typically reveals subtle aromas of yuzu, white peach, and delicate white blossoms, backed by a crisp, refreshing acidity and a signature touch of pleasant phenolic bitterness on the finish.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1899 by Shinjiro Torii as Torii Shoten in Osaka, Suntory is the pioneer of Japanese whisky and one of the world’s preeminent drinks conglomerates. Guided by Torii's defining philosophy of 'Yatte Minahare' (go for it), the house constructed Japan’s first malt whisky distillery at Yamazaki in 1923, chosen for the pure soft water where three rivers converge at the base of Mount Tennozan, followed by the alpine, heavily forested Hakushu distillery in 1973. While globally renowned for spirits, Suntory also champions domestic Japanese viticulture, notably cultivating native Koshu and Muscat Bailey A under sustainable viticultural regimes in Yamanashi and Nagano. Distillation and maturation reflect consummate technical precision, utilizing diverse copper pot still profiles and wood regimes spanning ex-bourbon, Spanish sherry butts, and indigenous Mizunara oak. Benchmark expressions include Yamazaki Single Malt, Hakushu, Hibiki, Kakubin, and Japan Premium Koshu, epitomizing Suntory’s dedication to balance, subtle complexity, and ethereal harmony.