Fonz Co., Ltd. has completed its first vintage this summer.
One year after taking over a historic vineyard, the long-awaited first wines have arrived.
Here are the details.
Taking Over the Vineyard
Fonz operates around 100 restaurants, hotels, and other businesses in Japan and overseas.
In May 2025, it took over a vineyard with a 50-year history from Sapporo Breweries Ltd. After its first harvest last autumn, the company is now releasing its inaugural vintage produced through contract winemaking.
The wines are scheduled to go on sale progressively at Fonz-operated restaurants beginning in summer 2026.
2025 First Vintage: Varieties and Wine List
Fonz harvested approximately 14 metric tons across four grape varieties.
Around 5,500 bottles of wine are expected to be produced.
The varieties are Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2025 vintage lineup is:
★ Furusato Vineyard Chardonnay & Riesling 2025 (Alce Vigne)
An approachable wine with a slight touch of residual sweetness. ★ Furusato Vineyard Chardonnay 2025 (Alce Vigne) Clean and pure, with a crisp style inspired by early-picked fruit. ★ Furusato Vineyard Chardonnay 2025 (no-oto WINES) A winemaking style designed to draw out natural character, with concentrated, generous flavor. ★ Furusato Vineyard Merlot Rosé 2025 (Mother Vines) Dry and crisp, with cherry-like aromas, moderate acidity, and an easy affinity with food. ★ Furusato Vineyard Merlot 2025 (Mother Vines) Aromas of blueberry and cassis with Merlot’s characteristic green-toned nuance. ★ Furusato Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Alce Vigne) Made from riper grapes for a somewhat weightier, fuller-bodied style. Fonz says its concept is to keep making wines whose year-to-year changes can be enjoyed together with customers. Consider trying these rare first-vintage wines. Reference FZ farm Furusato Vineyard Address: 53 Tomitake, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture Area: Approximately 2.8 ha Instagram: fzfarm_furusatovineyard Fonz Co., Ltd. Address: 1075-47 Karuizawa, Karuizawa, Kitasaku, Nagano Website: https://www.fonz.jp/