From Wednesday, April 1, 2026, JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo will offer two white wines from NIKI Hills Winery in Niki, Hokkaido, at restaurants inside the hotel.
They will be offered as the third installment in the hotel sommelier team’s carefully selected private-wine series. One of the wines won a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025, one of the world’s largest wine competitions.
Here are the details.
About the Third Private-Wine Release
JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo began offering private wines in 2023 to showcase in Japan and abroad the appeal of wines that fully express Hokkaido’s cool-climate terroir and grape varieties.
For the third installment, the hotel has selected white wines from NIKI Hills Winery, located among the hills of Niki, Hokkaido.
Hotel staff visited NIKI Hills Winery and deepened their understanding of winemaking through exchanges with the production team, including weed-control work, grape harvesting, and study sessions.
Wines Offered
Two private wines will be offered.
The first is “Chardonnay 2023,” which became the first still wine made from Chardonnay by a Japanese winery to win a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025. The second is the winery’s flagship white wine, “HATSUYUKI 2024.”
Before sales begin at four hotel restaurants on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the private wines will make their debut at the hotel event “Northern Fine Wine Evening — An Adult Moment Woven from Wine, Food and Music — vol.2,” to be held on Tuesday, March 10.
If you are interested, be sure to check them out.
Reference
＜Product Overview＞
■ Product: “Chardonnay 2023”
The first still wine made from Chardonnay by a Japanese winery to win a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025. It features delicate acidity and minerality nurtured by the cool climate. Fresh citrus and green-apple aromas are layered with vanilla and nutty nuances from barrel aging, creating an elegant palate.
・Price: ¥2,200 per glass (tax and service included)
■ Product: “HATSUYUKI 2024”
NIKI Hills Winery’s flagship white wine. It won a silver medal at the Japan Wine Competition 2025, which is limited to “Japanese wine” made entirely from domestically grown grapes. Made from the German grape variety Kerner, it has a rich aroma and soft acidity that suit Hokkaido’s climate beautifully. Floral notes reminiscent of white peach, pear and lychee open on the nose, while the palate is smooth, leaving a gentle sweetness and refreshing finish.
・Price: ¥1,800 per glass (tax and service included)
■ Sales start: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 *While supplies last (250 bottles of each)
■ Restaurants: SKY J Restaurant & Bar and Japanese Restaurant Tancho on the 35th floor of JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo; The Lobby Lounge on the 1st floor; and French Restaurant Mikuni Sapporo on the 9th floor of Sapporo Stellar Place Center — four locations in total
■ Service hours: During each restaurant’s business hours
■ Note: Both wines are also planned to be available by the bottle.
■ Inquiries: TEL 011-251-2222 (hotel main line)