With International Women's Day on 8 March approaching, we would like to celebrate the women helping to shape Japanese wine today. Among them is a winemaker who spent two decades at Rubaiyat Winery, a winery represented in Germany by Weinkontor Sommer.

Women in Japanese Wine

Women play an important role in Japanese wine today – not only as consumers and winemakers, but in almost every area of the industry. Their influence continues to grow. The Japan Sommelier Association (JSA) reports that 43% of its more than 30,000 qualified sommeliers are women. On the consumer side, 56% of certified JSA Wine Experts are female.

This development is also visible institutionally. Japan is home to a national wine competition judged exclusively by women: the Sakura Awards. Every year, female sommeliers, producers, educators, journalists, importers, distributors and retail professionals taste almost 4,000 wines from around the world.

One of the most prominent voices in Japanese wine is Miyuki Katori, who might perhaps be described as Japan's counterpart to Jancis Robinson. She has published several books on Japanese wine and works across many different areas of the industry – from contributing to national statistics at government level to supporting regional producers, particularly in Nagano.

In his book Japanese Wine, Nick Rowan identifies 68 of the 728 wineries profiled as female-led – whether founded, managed or overseen by a woman winemaker. This figure shows how much has already been achieved, but also how much room remains for further development.

Masako Anzo

One of the early pioneers was Masako Anzo. Her path into the wine world was anything but straightforward. After she graduated in fermentation science from the University of Yamanashi, a professor told her that it would be difficult for a woman to become a winemaker. She initially joined a food company, but left after just one year to continue pursuing her own path.

She later joined Rubaiyat Winery, where she built her professional career. In 1998, she made a first attempt to establish herself independently. When her husband, head winemaker at Château Mercian, was sent to Bordeaux for further training, she accompanied him and used the time to deepen her own knowledge. During four years in France, she obtained the DUAD diploma in wine tasting from the University of Bordeaux before returning to Rubaiyat, where she worked for a further 17 years.

In 2000, she and her husband leased a vineyard in Manriki and planted Kōshū alongside European grape varieties. From 2005, she initially vinified small quantities at Rubaiyat for personal use. Later, encouraged by the decision to release the wines under the Marufuji name, this developed into limited editions of Manriki Blanc and Manriki Rouge, with production runs of just 500 to 1,000 bottles.

After a period of illness, she resolved to establish her own winery. Despite the challenges of recovery and a global pandemic, she realised this ambition in 2022 with the opening of Cave an Winery .

Production remains small to this day and the wines are not yet exported. Her journey, however, exemplifies the determination and resilience that have helped redefine the role of women in Japanese wine.

Supported by investment from established producers such as Rubaiyat Winery and Château Mercian, and driven forward by individuals such as Masako Anzo, Japan's wine sector continues to develop. Today it encompasses both internationally recognised premium wineries and small independent producers whose wines are firmly rooted in their respective terroirs.

Further Wines Made by Women in the Weinkontor Sommer Range

Further north, in Hokkaidō, NIKI Hills Winery has been shaped by two women winemakers since it opened in 2019. New Zealand-born Mariko Withrington, who has Japanese roots, works alongside head winemaker Mamiko Ōta on the winery's cool, clear style. Together they produce elegant interpretations of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Kerner, including the fresh and aromatic NIKI Hills Hatsuyuki – a wine that impressively captures the clarity and precision of Hokkaidō's northern terroir.

From Our Range

Hatsuyuki 2024

Kerner from Hokkaidō, fresh, aromatic and defined by clarity and precision.

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At Fujiclair Winery, a new chapter has also opened on the foundations of Fujicco. Hiroko Takano, formerly a winemaker there, has since moved on to lead production at a new winery near Mount Fuji. With guidance from New Zealand consultant Theo Coles, Fujiclair now follows an even more minimal-intervention philosophy. Head winemaker Riwa Sugio works alongside him, continuing the company's tradition of female-led winemaking.

Fujiclair's Ginka demonstrates the potential of the indigenous Kōshū grape particularly well. After six months on the lees, the wine gains texture and breadth while retaining the characteristic freshness and delicate minerality that define Yamanashi's signature grape variety. In this way, it combines purity with understated, precise complexity.

From Our Range

Ginka 2022

Koshu with fine texture, understated complexity and Yamanashi's characteristic minerality.

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