Iwate's Edelwein starts this season's winemaking, with new wine due in late October
Edelwein, a winery in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, began this season's winemaking on 10 September and planned to release its new wine, Iwate Nouveau, in late October.
Iwate’s largest winery begins the season’s winemaking
Iwate Prefecture lies in the Tohoku region of northern Honshu, Japan. At the Edelwein winery in Ohasama, Hanamaki, this season’s winemaking began on 10 September 2026. According to the local newspaper Kahoku Shimpo, the company produces more wine than any other winery in Iwate Prefecture. On the first day, a Shinto ceremony was held before work began. Staff are said to have started the process hoping for a fine wine. The first grapes used were red wine grapes harvested in Ohasama and in Shiwa, also in Iwate Prefecture.
What is the new wine, Iwate Nouveau?
Edelwein planned to release the wine made this autumn in late October as the new wine “Iwate Nouveau”. Nouveau is French for “new”. It refers to wine made from grapes harvested that year and shipped early, without long maturation. Like France’s Beaujolais Nouveau, it is enjoyed as a seasonal wine celebrating the autumn harvest. Japanese alcohol may bring sake to mind first. In Japan, however, wine made only from grapes grown in the country and produced domestically is called “Japan Wine”, and it is made in regions across the country. Tohoku, with its cool climate, is one of those regions. The appeal of nouveau is that it lets you taste the character of that year’s grapes at the earliest opportunity.
How to enjoy it in Europe
New wines from regional Japanese wineries do not often appear on shop shelves in Europe. Even so, it is worth asking specialist shops and importers that handle Japanese wine whether they stock it or expect any arrivals. New red wines are generally light, with clear fruit flavours. They are easier to drink slightly chilled and pair well with autumn dishes using mushrooms and root vegetables, as well as Japanese food made with soy sauce. Try it alongside a Beaujolais Nouveau, which appears at the same time of year, and see how differences in climate and land show in the taste. It may prove a way into the Japan Wine of Tohoku.
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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