Wine doesn’t always have to come from France or Italy to surprise and delight you! Sometimes, it sneaks up from a corner of the world you’d least expect.
Yellow Magic Winery, a funky little gem tucked away in Akayu, Nanyo, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
This isn’t just another winery with a picturesque view and a clean label. This is wine with personality, purpose, and a little party in every bottle.
Founded on September 27, 2019, by Sumito Iwatani, a former beer brewer turned winemaker, Yellow Magic Winery is a natural wine playground, where grapes are treated with minimal intervention and maximum creativity.
And the result? One of the most delightfully weird bottles I have had in ages...
2019 Yellow Magic Winery, ‘Grooove Niku Yaro’
Let’s just start with the name. Grooove Niku Yaro sounds like a dance move from a vintage disco club, and honestly, the wine tastes like one too: fun, surprising, and a little bit wild.
At first glance, and sniff, this wine might make you raise an eyebrow. When I opened it, there was a touch of natural effervescence, like a little fizz action that caught me off guard but actually made the whole experience more intriguing. Natural CO₂, perhaps?
What I didn’t expect was how refreshing, balanced, and straight-up easy to drink it turned out to be.
With just 11% alcohol, this bottle doesn’t punch, you glide through it. There’s a whisper of sweetness, but nothing cloying or syrupy. Instead, think: crushed berries, a gentle peppery twist, and a burst of zingy acidity that keeps things playful from the first sip to the last.
This is where it gets fun and nerdy in the best way. Grooove Niku Yaro is a blend of three grapes that you’ll rarely see outside Japan (and maybe haven’t heard of at all):
Muscat Bailey A – Japan’s pride and joy. Created in 1920, it’s the lovechild of vinifera and labrusca, and it brings juicy, floral energy to the mix.
Campbell Early – A hybrid originally from Ohio (yes, really), with an eye-catching leaf and sweet berry notes.
Yama Sauvignon – A cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Yama Budou, a Japanese wild grape with serious personality.
Put them together, and you’ve got a wine that tastes like summer, sings with acidity, and dances like nobody’s watching.
You can serve it chilled. yes! even though it’s red! Like a Beaujolais Nouveau or a chillable Pinot Noir, this wine keeps its charm at cooler temps, with none of the flavours dulled down. In fact, that chill just adds to its fresh, fruity vibe.
Yellow Magic Winery might be new, but it's already proving to be one to watch. With quirky grapes, natural winemaking methods, and a seriously cool attitude, it's perfect for wine drinkers who want something off the beaten path, without needing a sommelier dictionary to enjoy it.
If you're looking for a bottle that’s unpretentious, adventurous, and just plain fun, then Grooove Niku Yaro might be your next wine crush.
Sip different. Think Japanese. Drink magic.
https://www.yellowmagicwinery.com/
''At the end of the day, you really can’t make a wrong choice.
As long as you pay attention to what it is that you don’t like about a wine
each bottle will get you closer to what you do like.
Take it one glass at a time!''