Cosmetics company's Akita wine gets six extra months of maturation

It may come as a surprise that Albion, a Japanese cosmetics maker headquartered in Tokyo, makes wine. The company runs a winemaking facility, Shirakami Vineyard & Winery, in Fujisato in northern Akita Prefecture, and releases a Shirakami-Sanchi Wine every year. The latest vintage, Shirakami-Sanchi Wine 2024, made from grapes harvested in 2024, went on sale on 1 June 2026. This year the maturation period was extended by about six months compared with usual, which the company says allowed the savoury depth of the grapes to be drawn out slowly.

Seeds for cosmetics, skins and juice for wine

The reason a cosmetics company makes wine lies in how it uses its raw materials. Albion presses grape seeds to extract grapeseed oil, an ingredient for cosmetics. The remaining skins and juice go into the wine. It is a system in which a single fruit serves both cosmetics and wine. Fujisato, where the winery stands, is a town at the foot of Shirakami-Sanchi, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site straddling Akita and Aomori prefectures, and an area known for its primeval beech forest.

Yama Sauvignon, a variety born from Japan’s wild grapes

The grape used is Yama Sauvignon. It is a wine variety crossed from the Yamabudo, a wild grape native to Japan’s mountains, and the European Cabernet Sauvignon. Because it inherits the cold hardiness of the Yamabudo, it is used across Japan as a variety that is easy to grow even in the harsh winters of the Tohoku region. It tends to produce deeply coloured wines with distinct acidity. With the longer maturation of this 2024 vintage, the aim is for the grapes’ natural savoury depth to emerge within that powerful character. Mr Sato, the chief winemaker, introduces how the new vintage has turned out.

Enjoying it in Europe

Shirakami-Sanchi Wine is sold mainly through local liquor shops, so it is not often seen in Europe. However, Yama Sauvignon is one of the leading varieties of Japanese wine, and wines from other producers can be found in specialist shops and online shops that handle Japanese wine. Look for the words “Yama Sauvignon” on the label. Its firm acidity makes it pair well with mushroom dishes, game, and dishes made with soy sauce or miso. Even with the same variety, the flavour changes with the vintage and the length of maturation, so comparing several side by side is also recommended.