【Tasting Akiu Vol. 3】Winemaking That Reflects Akiu’s Terroir — Visiting Akiu Winery

Akiu Winery is about a 30-minute drive from central Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, in a corner of Akiu Onsen, a renowned hot-spring destination.

Since opening in 2015, the winery has continued to make wines that express the character of this place. We spoke with its founder and representative, Chikafusa Mori, about what makes Akiu Winery special.

The first vines were planted in 2014. Today, the winery has around 2 hectares of vineyards nearby, with another new 1-hectare site also being developed.

First, the vineyard. The moment you stand among the vines, you can feel a pleasant breeze. The reason lies in Akiu’s topography. Mountains border the area to the north and south, while the Natori River runs through the center of the valley, allowing the wind to pass straight through from east to west. The vine rows are also aligned with that prevailing wind, making the excellent airflow a major advantage.

The elevated position also provides good drainage, helping the grapes stay healthy. And the site receives plenty of sunshine. It has all three elements working in its favor.

Another feature unique to Akiu is the soil. The vineyard contains a great deal of tuff known as “Akiu Stone.” Formed from compacted volcanic ash, the stone is relatively light and porous, with excellent drainage.

According to Mori, many specialists who visit the winery comment on the wines’ “mineral character,” and he believes Akiu Stone may be one of the reasons.

For red varieties, Merlot is the mainstay, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tannat, Sangiovese, Pinotage, and others. In recent years, anticipating the effects of climate change, the winery has also begun planting Malbec and Albariño. Akiu is cultivating the wines of its future while keeping a close eye on a changing climate.

At the winery, Mori says that “marriage with food” matters above all else. For that reason, the winemaking places particular emphasis on expressing the natural character of each grape variety.

The winery primarily uses stainless-steel tanks. It also has numerous small-capacity tanks for training younger winemakers and for experimental batches used in new product development.

One piece of equipment that caught my eye was a pressure tank. The winery is considering a new sparkling wine made using the Charmat method. A new series is being planned with a blend of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay and other varieties, with expectations that it will become a wine to enjoy even in the hotter months.

The shop carries around 20 different wines.

The range is broad: Merlot from the estate vineyard; a Field Blend series combining Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Koshu and Delaware from contracted growers; and even cider. (Incidentally, the estate-grown Akiu Merlot 2022 is a bottle that moved me so much at dinner the night before that I headed straight to the register without even remembering to check the price.)

The No. 1 seller is a Delaware orange wine that won Gold at the Sakura Awards. Next comes Chardonnay scented with Mizunara oak, followed by a Koshu literally named “Wine for Sushi.” And the label on that sushi wine simply says “Sushi”! You could hardly ask for a clearer or friendlier message.

This sushi wine was designed from the choice of yeast onward. It is full of the kind of thinking that is quintessentially Mori: “I want to make wines that sit naturally alongside Japanese food culture.” It makes you wonder what dish the next dedicated pairing wine might be created for.

When people visit Akiu Winery, many are immediately struck by the beauty of the building.

In fact, Mori designed the building himself. His primary profession is architecture. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in architectural design before he entered winemaking, he designed the winery on his own.

Because he had no prior experience making wine, Mori traveled to wineries around Japan and listened closely to winemakers while thoroughly studying work efficiency, traffic flow, and ease of maintenance. The result was a winery that is “easy to use, beautiful, and economical to build.”

When it first opened, many people in the industry came to see the newly built winery, and Mori says they were often surprised when they heard how much—or rather how little—it had cost to build.

And it is not only the architecture. The sweeping vineyard, the carefully maintained and comfortable terrace, the food trucks—the overall sense of design is unmistakably Mori’s.

Any introduction to Akiu Winery should also mention its restaurant, where Chef Yoshida—whom Mori himself holds in especially high regard—creates serious cuisine built around local ingredients.

Here, in the very region where the wine is born, visitors can enjoy pairings of food and wine. It is a direct way to experience Mori’s idea of “Terroage,” a word he coined by combining “terroir” and “mariage.” Terroage brings producers, chefs, accommodation, and the wider community together around the belief that “the finest marriage is found at the place of origin.”

If you visit the winery, I strongly recommend making time for the restaurant as well, and tasting the food and wine nurtured by the land of Akiu.

For more about Terroage, see this article!

https://nihonwine.jp/enjoy-nihon-wine/akiu202607-2/

And if you are planning a visit to Akiu Winery, now is an especially good time. “Akiu Inclusive” is currently underway, with pairing dinners available through November 30, unlimited bus passes through September 30, and combination tickets offering special benefits at participating locations.

https://nihonwine.jp/enjoy-nihon-wine/akiu202607-1/