Expressing the Beauty of Japan in Wine
Japan has four seasons that transition seamlessly and vividly. The sensitivity to delicate flavours and careful, robust techniques cultivated under the Japanese cultural climate have become characteristics of Japanese culture. Grace Wine aims to pick out Japan's best and embrace it in its wines.
We select vineyards based on the amount of sunlight, diurnal temperature differences, drainage, wind flow, and other factors, and our grape growing has been devised in constant dialogue with natural conditions. Harvesting is done by hand with careful and thorough grape selection. The winery strives to bring out the full potential of the grapes nurtured in the vineyards. By weaving together years of effort, the family business has been carrying on for almost a century.
Japanese winemaking is intimately linked to local agriculture, and Japanese handicrafts are honest, thorough and solid. In 2014, Grace's white wine Koshu opened the doors to the world, and we will continue to bring pleasure and soothe to people by promoting winemaking that expresses the best of Japan.
Chotaro Misawa, the founder, established the company in Katsunuma town (cho)
Released "Chotaro Brand Budoshu".
Kazuo Misawa, the third generation, established Chuo Budoshu Co.,Ltd
Launched the wine brand "GRACE", laying the foundation for the present
The third-generation owner launched the first GRACE wine, "1957 GRACE"
One of the company's products is mentioned in Shugoro Yamamoto's essay collection "Bento in the dark" as a gem found in Japan.
(The present fortified wine "Vin of Shugoro")
Completion and installation of a full-scale ageing cellar (200 tsubo).
Production of the first wine in Japan with Geographical Indication (Katsunuma GI).
Formation of Katsunuma Wineries Club, comprising 12 young winemakers from Katsunuma Town.
Shigekazu Misawa, the fourth generation, became president.
Birth of our flagship wine "Cuvée Misawa"
Became member of the Association for Good Food Making
Start of Koshu Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) cultivation trial
Establishment of our own company-managed vineyard in the Toriibira district of Katsunuma town (cho)
"1997 Koshu Barrel" won the trophy for the best Japanese white wine at Japan's first wine competition, The Japan International Wine Challenge.
"Grace Koshu" was introduced by the Financial Times as a wine with Japanese originality
"Grace Koshu" was mentioned in the "World Atlas of Wine" (5th edition), the wine bible, as a representative wine of Japan
Establishment of Misawa Vineyard (8.6 hectares) in Akeno, Yamanashi Prefecture
Mr. Robert Parker Jr. visited and tasted Koshu wines.
Vinification of Koshu under the guidance of Prof. Dubourdieu, University of Bordeaux
Ayana Misawa became Head of Viticulture and Oenology
Establishment of "Koshu of Japan", a group of 15 wineries in Yamanashi, chaired by Shigekazu Misawa, our fourth-generation owner
Began full-scale Koshu Vertical Shoot Positioning
Koshu became a registered grape variety with the O.I.V. (International Institute of Vine and Wine)
Began export to the United Kingdom
First Asian Gold Medal and Regional Trophy for "2012 Gris de Koshu" at Decanter Asia Wine Awards.
First Gold Medal and Regional Trophy for "2013 Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu" at Decanter World Wine Awards, the world's largest wine competition.
"Grace Koshu" won the Gold Medal for the next 6 years in a row
Creation of "2012 La Rencontres", a wine in collaboration with the famed Thibault Despagne
Inauguration of the wine cellar at Misawa Vineyard, with 95 barrels and the capacity to mature and age 60,000 bottles of wine
"Grace Extra Brut" became the first sparkling wine in Asia to win the Platinum Award and the Best Asian Wine at the Decanter World Wine Awards
"Kayagatake Koshu" was selected as a post-Brexit wine by UK's newspaper Guardian
"2016 Grace Koshu Private Reserve" was featured on the cover of the UK wine magazine Decanter.
Published the book "Miracle in Japanese Wine: How the Yamanashi Grape 'Koshu' Reaches the Summit of the World".
"Koshu Wine from Misawa Vineyard" exhibition at Japan Design Gallery
Decanter World Wine Awards winner 6 years in a row
"2014 Grace Blanc de Blancs" listed on Bloomberg as one of the Top 10 Wines of 2019
"2020 Koshu Misawa Vineyard" launched, replacing "Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu".
PROFILE
Kazuo Misawa
Born in Katsunuma Town, Yamanashi Prefecture.
After graduating from Tokyo University of Commerce (now Hitotsubashi University),
joined the Industrial Bank of Japan (now Mizuho Financial Group) and worked at the Kobe Branch.
Return to birthplace, inheriting family winery as the 3rd generation.
Founded Chuo Budoshu Co., Ltd.
Launched "Grace" made from Koshu.
Became the first chairman of the Katsunuma Wine Promotion Association (now Katsunuma Wine Association).
Delivered wine to the visiting French Navy at a Japan port. In effect, it was the first wine export.
Later, helped Katsunuma town with its export strategy, exporting to Canada and Hawaii.
Installation of a temperature-controlled underground cellar.
Produced the first Geographical Indication wine (Katsunuma GI) in Japan.
Prepared and engraved his own gravestone with the inscription "Kaoru Shumon".
Shigekazu Misawa
Born in Katsunuma Town, Yamanashi Prefecture.
Worked for Mitsubishi Corporation after graduating from Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Resigned from Mitsubishi Corporation and joined Chuo Budoshu Co., Ltd.
First Secretary General of Katsunuma Wineries Club.
Became representative director of Chuo Budoshu Co.,Ltd.
Established Misawa Vineyard (12ha) at an altitude of 700m in Akeno town, Hokuto city.
Produced the first Japanese wine (Koshu) ever to be exported to the EU.
Appointed Chevalier du Tastevin de Bourgogne.
Became chairman of Koshu Of Japan (KOJ), an organisation established to promote Koshu in the export market, and President of the Yamanashi Sake Brewers Cooperative.
Awarded Medal with Yellow Ribbon.
Awarded Distinguished Person of the Prefecture of Yamanashi.
Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
Co-author of "Miracle in Japanese Wine: How the Yamanashi Grape "Koshu" Reaches the Summit of the World" (Diamond Corp) with Ayana Misawa
Ayana Misawa
Senior technician in Viticulture and Oenology (France). After studying oenology at the University of Bordeaux and postgraduate studies in Stellenbosch, she worked vintages in wineries in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina.
Became Head of Viticulture and Oenology at Grace Wine.
Her wine became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world's largest wine competition. Since then, Grace Wine has won the Gold medal six years in a row.
Speaker at the first International Wine Tourism Conference of the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation).
Her wine was selected as one of the World's Top 10 Wines by Bloomberg, United States leading general information service company.
Became monthly contributor to the Yomiuri Shimbun Yamanashi edition "Wine Chronicles" and to Marie Claire digital "Ayana Misawa's Life with Wine".