“What wine pairs best with sushi?” Besides sake, what comes to mind? The world is vast. In a distant land, a Japanese winemaker crafted a white wine specifically for sushi.

Yoko Sato, born in Tokyo, moved to Spain after graduation to study winemaking and joined Spanish wine giant Freixenet. Through hard work, she became the group’s chief winemaker and, leveraging her understanding of Japanese cuisine, developed a white wine that pairs perfectly with sushi—OROYA. Hugely popular in Spain, it eventually “reverse exported” to Japan, its spiritual home.

With sushi, the interplay of fresh fish, salty soy sauce, and spicy wasabi presents a complex challenge for wine pairing. To achieve balance, Sato selected three grape varieties:

1. Airen for a citrus and green apple base,

2. Macabeo for acidity to cut through fishiness,

3. Muscat for gentle sweetness to ease the wasabi spice.
   Impressive in concept, we tried it ourselves with sushi!

Pale lemon-gold in color, the aroma is fresh apple and peach. The palate is light, crisp, with refreshing pineapple-like acidity and low alcohol—very easy to drink, with a hint of acidity on the finish. Sip with sushi, and you’ll find the wine magnifies the fish’s freshness. Its acidity interacts with the vinegar rice, softening the tang and even bringing out a subtle sweetness—a perfect match. The wine’s crispness refreshes your palate, making you ready for the next bite.

If you’re used to sake with Japanese food, try pairing white wine for a surprising and intriguing “fusion shock.” Give it a try!

P.S. “OROYA” refers to an ancient Spanish basket used to ferry items across rivers—here, symbolizing cultural exchange between Japan and Spain.