Grace Koshu Cuvée Misawa Akeno Vineyard 2022

Grace Winery (Chuo Budoshu) was founded in 1923 by Chotaro Misawa in Katsunuma, Yamanashi Prefecture — the birthplace of Japan's wine industry. It remains family-run today, led by winemaker Ayana Misawa, and is considered a benchmark for quality in Japanese winemaking.

"Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu" was born from a belief in Koshu's potential, and was reborn as a wine of terroir after further research — Koshu Misawa Vineyard. The grapes yield extremely low, are harvested separately by parcel and sometimes even by vine, and are hand-picked with a gentle, long press. Fermentation is spontaneous, with indigenous yeasts from the vineyard, followed by malolactic fermentation — rare for Koshu — giving the wine a character distinctly different from more conventional Koshu. The 2022 was matured for seven months in a mix of stainless steel tanks and old French oak barrels.

The Wine Front — 94+ points (5 February 2026)
"White fruit, fresh mint, spice, cedar, almonds, floral things. Medium-bodied, a cool feel to it, again that lathed wood character, fine texture, with a lemon accented finish of excellent length. Needs some time to settle and integrate; just a little raw at this stage."
Read the full review at The Wine Front