Akadama Port Wine is famous as one of the products that helped ignite the popularity of red wine in Japan.
Launched in 1907 by Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii, it was developed for Japanese tastes of the era with restrained astringency and noticeable sweetness, and became a major hit.
Its groundbreaking advertisement featuring a woman holding a wine glass with both shoulders exposed—often described as Japan’s first nude poster—also helped make the brand famous and remains widely remembered today.
Now Akadama is returning with a new product suited to an era in which Japanese consumers regularly enjoy higher-quality, authentic wine.
A launch presentation was held in Tokyo on August 20.
What Is “Akadama Premium Blended Wine”?
The new domestic wine, Akadama Premium Blended Wine, goes on sale nationwide on September 16.
It was developed around the idea of being “a reassuring choice that suits the Japanese table.”
Wine at the table in Japan has often been associated with Western dishes, while pairing wine with the mildly sweet flavors common in Japanese home cooking remains relatively uncommon. Suntory used its blending expertise to create a “wine that suits Japanese food.”
＜Tasting Comment＞
“To complement Japanese foods that combine subtle flavors from soy sauce, sugar and mirin with gentle sweetness, we created a wine with fresh, floral grape aromas, mature complexity and a pleasant finish. Drawing on our broad experience across many types of alcoholic beverages, we blend several carefully selected wines with base spirits including brandy and herbal spirits.” (From a Suntory Holdings press release)
The currently sold Akadama Sweet Wine has a concentrated, sweet style.
By comparison, the new release is fundamentally drier and closer to conventional wine, though it retains a gentle sweetness from its fruit character.
We tried it with mackerel simmered in miso and with sukiyaki. Its restrained tannin and light fruit make it genuinely easy to drink. Subtle herbal notes also work especially well with fish such as mackerel, avoiding any fishy impression and acting almost like a refreshing condiment.
Accessible pricing is also important for a bottle intended for everyday meals.
The 750 ml bottle will be sold at open price, with retail pricing expected around ¥1,320 including tax, and is scheduled for nationwide release on September 16.
Carrying forward Shinjiro Torii’s desire to “make delicious wine suited to Japanese tastes” and the identity of Akadama while aiming to complement today’s Japanese food, Akadama Premium Blended Wine is a bottle wine fans may want to try at least once.
▼ Product / Volume-Container / Alcohol
Akadama Premium Blended Wine
750 ml / Bottle / 12%
▼ Sales area: Nationwide
▼ Price: Open price
▼ Category: Sweetened fruit wine
▼ Akadama website
https://www.suntory.co.jp/wine/original/akadama/
News Release