Don’t be put off by its unusual name—this wine is produced by Grace Wine, renowned for "Kimura White" and a six-time consecutive gold medalist at European wine competitions. The wine is named after Shugoro Yamamoto, a literary giant in Japan whose novels inspired several films by legendary director Akira Kurosawa. Production began in the 1960s, long before Grace Wine became famous. When Yamamoto first tasted this wine, he praised it highly and even wrote in his essays that “this is what Japanese wine should be.” In gratitude, Grace Wine named the wine after him. It remains the only sweet wine made by Grace Wine, Japan’s premier winery. What does a wine admired by a literary master taste like? Let’s find out!

Pouring into the glass, the wine shines with a beautiful pomegranate red hue tinged with orange. The aroma is deeply mature, with rich raisin and dried fig sweetness. The palate is rich and full-bodied—thanks to the addition of brandy, you’ll find notes of grape, preserved plum, and a hint of rose sweetness, followed by mild acidity and a lingering brandy aroma. Though the alcohol is just 16%, the finish is long and fragrant. The subtle residual sweetness makes you want to sip again and again—an excellent wine!

This is a fortified wine, made by adding French brandy to Japanese Muscat Bailey A and Koshu grapes during fermentation, then aging the wine in barrels for four years. The addition of brandy halts fermentation, leaving natural grape sugar for a sweet dessert wine. This unique process makes "Shugoro" far sweeter than most red or white wines and perfectly suited for after-dinner enjoyment.