Hakutsuru's Kobe Wine adds 'Kobe Reserva', made only in good years

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing, best known for its sake, launched “Kobe Reserva”, a premium series from its “Kobe Wine” brand, in limited quantities across Japan on 11 September 2026. Kobe Wine is made solely from grapes grown in Kobe. The first vintage is 2025, with two wines: a red Cabernet Sauvignon and a white Riesling. Each is made from a single grape variety. What stands out this time is that a Japanese sake brewer is putting forward the idea of a “vintage” for its own wine.

A promise to make it only in good years

“Kobe Reserva” is a series in which a single grape variety is grown in the vineyard best suited to it, and the wine is made and released only in years when high-quality grapes are harvested. Hakutsuru explains that in 2025 the weather was stable while the vines were flowering and the summer brought plenty of sunshine, so well-ripened, healthy fruit could be picked. It says the year showed the characteristics of the Kobe growing area: a mild climate, long hours of sunshine and well-drained soil. Kobe Wine was born in 1983, and Hakutsuru took over its production and sales in December 2024. It is now run in cooperation with the city of Kobe, local agricultural organisations and grape growers.

Two vineyards, two characters

The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Osawa district in Kita Ward, Kobe. It is sourced from the vineyard of a grower who has cultivated wine grapes for more than 30 years, and every grape is hand-picked. It is medium-bodied, with fruit aromas reminiscent of blackcurrant and blueberry combined with fine-grained tannins, and has an alcohol content of 12%. The Riesling is grown in a vineyard managed by Hakutsuru itself in the Oshibedani district of Nishi Ward, Kobe, and is made entirely from grapes from vines more than 40 years old. Riesling is a variety suited to cool climates and is considered difficult to grow in Japan. It is off-dry, characterised by aromas of white flowers and citrus, restrained sweetness and a long, stretching acidity, with an alcohol content of 10%. Both are priced at 2,800 yen (excluding tax) for a 750 ml bottle.

Enjoying them in Europe

The release makes no mention of overseas sales, so it is not yet clear whether the wines will be available in Europe. Even so, if you come across Kobe wine in a specialist shop that stocks Japanese wines, look at the vintage and grape variety on the label. The Riesling in particular would be interesting to compare with examples from Germany or Alsace. You can find out how an off-dry wine of 10% alcohol, made from old vines in Japan’s warm climate, turns out. Hakutsuru’s suggested pairings are sea bream cured in kelp or sautéed scallops and cream pasta for the Riesling, and beef cheek braised in red wine or roast duck for the Cabernet. Many of the dishes mentioned are easy to fit into European home cooking.

Sources Hakutsuru Sake Brewing (ORICON NEWS press release): “New premium series ‘Kobe Reserva’, two wines from ‘Kobe Wine’ made with 100% Kobe-grown grapes, launching on 11 September”