[Aomori Prefecture] 3 selected wineries and cider breweries in Aomori Prefecture! Introducing wine and cider from apple producing areas!

Daiwa Consilio
2022.08.11
Last updated: 2024.07.9

table of contents

1 San Marmo Winery (Mutsu City)
- 1.1 Shimokita Wine Ryo (Red: 100% Pinot Noir)
- 1.2 Tsugaru Wine White Steuben (White: 100% Steuben)
2 FATTORIA DA SASINO (Hirosaki City)
- 2.1 Hirosaki Nebbiolo (Red: 100% Nebbiolo)
3 Hachinohe Winery (Hachinohe City)
- 3.1 Merlot 2021 (Red: 100% Merlot)
4 Cider specialty brewery in Aomori Prefecture
5 summary
6 Articles on wineries in Tohoku and other prefectures

Aomori, the northernmost region of Honshu, is famous for its apples, but it also produces a large amount of grapes, with 50% of the grapes in the prefecture being produced in three areas in the central and northern parts of the prefecture, including Tsuruta Town, Nanbu Town, and Hirakawa Town.

Most of the grapes used were local varieties such as Steuben and Campbell Early, but recently European wine varieties such as Merlot and Pinot Noir have also been produced in various parts of the prefecture.

The six prefectures of Tohoku are famous for their sake breweries that make use of their delicious water, and Aomori Prefecture also makes use of the delicious water that springs from places such as the World Heritage Site Shirakami Mountains to make wine.

San Marmo Winery (Mutsu City)

This winery started growing grapes on the Shimokita Peninsula in 1998, and has brewing facilities in two locations within the prefecture.

MK Vineyard in Mutsu City produces Shimokita Wine, a red Pinot Noir wine, and Factory 2 in Owani Town produces Tsugaru Wine, a white wine made from Steuben grapes grown within the prefecture. Masu.

In addition to the two representative brands, they also sell white, red, and rosé wines made from different types of grapes, as well as sparkling wine, apple sparkling wine, and apricot wine.

Shimokita Wine Ryo (Red: 100% Pinot Noir)

This is San Mamoru Winery's flagship wine.

Pinot Noir, grown in the Shimokita Peninsula, is a red wine with a silky texture and aroma similar to strawberry jam, with little bitterness and a good balance of fruit and acidity.

Tsugaru Wine White Steuben (White: 100% Steuben)

This is a white wine that has the scent of sweet flower nectar, and has a sweet and sour taste, but has a dry and light taste, making it easy to drink too much. It goes well with seafood and can be enjoyed with sashimi and sushi.

Information

Facility name: San Marmo Winery
Address: 1-6 Kawashiro, Kawauchi-cho, Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0175-42-3870
URL: San Marmo Winery

Google Map

FATTORIA DA SASINO (Hirosaki City)

We started making wine in 2010 using the Italian Nebbiolo grape grown on our own farm at the foot of Mt. Iwaki, and now we are a small winery with an annual production capacity of about 1,000 bottles, which also produces Merlot, Malvasia, Chardonnay Malvasia, and black grapes.

The owner is an Italian chef who trained at two-star Michelin restaurants and opened Osteria Enoteca da Sassino in Hirosaki City, where he offers a marriage of ingredients he grows himself and wine he brews.

In addition to red wine made from 100% Nebbiolo and a blend of other grapes, they also make cider made from Hirosaki-produced ``leafless apples.''

Hirosaki Nebbiolo (Red: 100% Nebbiolo)

It has a deep garnet color due to aging in barrels for 10 months, with a good balance of tannins and acidity, and a complex aroma of raspberry fruit with notes of rose and violets.

Information

Facility name: OSTERIA ENOTECA DA SASINO
Address: 56-8 Honmachi, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0172-33-8299
URL: OSTERIA ENOTECA DA SASINO

Google Map

Hachinohe Winery (Hachinohe City)

The Nango area of Hachinohe City used to be a leaf tobacco producing region, but demand for tobacco fell due to the anti-smoking movement, which affected the local economy.

Therefore, in 2014, the Hachinohe Wine Industry Creation Project was launched to cultivate grapes and make wine in order to revitalize the region, and this winery was established.

More than 85% of Hachinohe wine is made from grapes grown in Hachinohe.

In addition to Merlot, 27 grape varieties are grown in the region, including Campbell Early, Muscat, Bailey A, Niagara, and Chardonnay.

Merlot 2021 (Red: 100% Merlot)

As a candidate for the winery's flagship, it will be released in July 2022 with a limited edition of 500 bottles.

Merlot from the local Nango region of Hachinohe City is used, and it has a berry aroma and the scent of flowers such as violets and lilies.The red color is close to purple, and you can enjoy the silky and acidity of the tannins, making it suitable not only for ordinary meat dishes. It goes well with meat and potatoes, yakitori, etc.

Information

Facility name: Hachinohe Winery
Address: 23-1 Nango-Oaza Nakano Shimin Nagone, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0178-81-2016 (VIN+: Vantas)
URL: Hachinohe Winery

Google Map

Cider specialty brewery in Aomori Prefecture

As an extra, we will briefly introduce breweries that manufacture and sell cider (apple wine) made only from apples grown in Aomori Prefecture, apple brandy (Calvados), and non-alcoholic juices and ciders.

A-FACTORY (Aomori City)

Information

Facility name: A-FACTORY
Address: 1-4-2 Yanagawa, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0177-52-1890
URL: A-FACTORY

Google Map

Hirosaki Cider Studio Kimori (Kimori: Hirosaki City)

Information

Facility name: Hirosaki cider workshop kimori
Address: Inside Apple Park, 125 Shimizu Tomita Terasawa, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0172-88-8936
URL: Hirosaki Cider Workshop kimori

Google Map

Tamura Farm (Hirosaki City)

**TAMURA CIDRE GREEN: Dry / RED: Sweet**

Information

Facility name: Tamura Farm
Address: 18-28 Aokicho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone number: 0172-88-3836
URL: Tamura Farm

Google Map

summary

When you think of Aomori Prefecture, you think of apples, and the apple orchards that spread across the Tsugaru Plain are covered in white apple flowers every May.

Up until now, Aomori's wine scene has been dominated by wines made from indigenous grape varieties, but recently European wine grape varieties such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Nebbiolo have been cultivated. The number of wines brewed is increasing.