Unique Wine Varietal is the First of its Kind to be Produced in the US
Napa, CA— Kazumi Wines, a Japanese American owned boutique winery in Napa Valley, is excited to announce the release of their 2021 Napa Koshu. The crisp, delicate white wine is made from the ancient Japanese Koshu grape, a novel varietal to North America, making Kazumi Wines Koshu the first of its kind to be produced in the United States.
Koshu, which first arrived in Japan over a thousand years ago via the Silk Road, is grown primarily in the Koshu Valley in Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture. The fruit is thick-skinned and hardy with a dusky pink hue that can produce a wide range of wines from delicate white to sparkling, to orange and even red wines. Napa Valley has a different terroir from Yamanashi, Japan, with a long, ideal growing season of warm days and cool nights. The Koshu grapes mature slowly and results in smaller, concentrated grapes compared to the grapes grown in Japan, making the Napa Valley version of Koshu quite different than the traditional Japanese Koshu, but no less drinkable.
“We are so excited to introduce Koshu to wine lovers in the United States,” says Kazumi Wines Founder Michelle Sakazaki. “Koshu will appeal to those that like more delicate white wines, such as Pinot Gris, or crisp, white wines with high acidity. It is also lower in alcohol, only 11.5%, and pairs well with all types of cuisines, but especially suited for seafood and Japanese dishes.”
The Koshu grape was discovered in the United States nine years ago by Japanese intern at Foundation Plant Services (FPS) at UC Davis. The original Koshu vines at FPS were donated to the United States 95 years ago from a Japanese university but were infested by two viruses and not usable. In 2014, FPS successfully cleaned the Koshu vines and made them available for propagation. In 2018, Kazumi Wines purchased those very Koshu canes from FPS and with the cooperation of some of the best growers in Napa Valley, grafted the canes and planted them in a few vineyards across Napa Valley.
Bringing Koshu, a varietal that represents her Japanese heritage, to the United States has been a labor of love for Sakazaki. In 2021, a ton of Koshu grapes were harvested from a vineyard in South Napa and 600 bottles produced for its inaugural release, which promptly sold out. The 2022 vintage is shaping up nicely in the vineyard and Sakazaki anticipates being able to produce up to 1,800 bottles/150 cases that will be sold by allocation only.
ABOUT KAZUMI WINES
Kazumi Wines, a boutique winery located in Napa Valley, is one of a few Asian, woman-owned wineries in the North Bay. Founder Michelle Kazumi Sakazaki is Japanese American, born in California and raised in Tokyo. After a career as a fashion designer, Michelle joined the wine industry, helping her father manage their family business “90 Plus Wine Club” in Napa. She realized her dream of creating her own wine label in 2015. Together with esteemed winemaker, Kale Anderson, Kazumi Wines produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Napa Valley. In 2021, Kazumi Wines harvested and produced the first of its kind Koshu Wine in the United States. Kazumi Wines is proud to be representing a minority group in the wine industry and introducing a Japanese varietal to American consumers and beyond.
