Awards Qualification
Awards – Diamond Trophy and Grand Prix for the most exceptional wines
- Diamond Trophy
- Double Gold
- Gold
- Silver
- Special Awards, Best Pairing Wine for Asian Cuisine, and Grand Prix
Special Awards that bring joy in your wine selection
- Best Woman Winemaker
The Awards goes to top 10 female winemakers selected from all categories, and the best of the top 10 will be awarded Grand Prix Woman Winemaker of the year.
▸ Past Winners of “Grand Prix” Woman Winemaker of the Year - “Rose” Wine
They are elegant, smooth, delicate, yet deep and powerful, while paring with a wide range of cuisines. From still wine “Rose” category, 10 wines with high scores are awarded Best Wine “Rose”, and the highest scored wine will be the Grand Prix “ROSE” Wine. - Grand Prix Japanese Wine of the year
Japanese wines are put on the same blind tasting table along with the world top quality wines in SAKURA AWARDS. The highest scored wines produced and bottled in Japan will be awarded Grand Prix Japanese Wine of the year. - Cost Performance Wine
Wines of all categories are grouped into 6 price categories, and high scored 10 wines in the price category below 2,500 yen will be awarded Best Cost Performance Wine.- Under 1,000 yen: High scored wines at less than 1000 yen for retail sales in Japan. Great wines in the most reasonable price category will be identified.
- 1,001 – 1,500 yen: Judges will select the best cost performance wines in the reasonable price category, expanding the options of everyday wines.
- 1,501 – 2,500 yen: Great wines in this price category might be recommended for a little special occasions such as weekend meals or social gathering.
- Great Value Sparkling Wine
In light of accelerating consumption of sparkling wines in Japan, we have introduced the new award for high quality sparkling wines in the price category below 2,500 yen to make this wine category feel more approachable. The Grand Prix will go to the highest scored wine. - Lesser-known Grape Varieties in Japanese Market
There are excellent wines in the world made from local rare grapes which are handed down to generations. We will shed light on these wines, usually highly regarded by a selected few, to dive deeper in the world of wine. The highest scored wine will be awarded the Grand Prix. - "FORTIFIED" Wine
From many fortified wines which go excellent with aperitif, dessert and variety of meals, we will identify 10 items to best pair with Japanese cuisine. - "DESSERT" Wine
Sweet dessert wines are popular among Japanese women. We will assess and introduce dessert wines which are well recognized globally, such as noble rot wines, late harvest wines and icewines. Among 10 awarded items, the Grand Prix will go to the highest scored wine. - "ORANGE" Wine
Orange wine is made by fermenting the skins and pulp of white grapes together. It is richer in tannin and flavour than normal white wine. It has a unique flavour that combines fruitiness and floral notes. In recent years, it has become popular in Japan.
Best Pairing with Japanese and Asian Cuisine
The origin of this award was when we were asked "What type of wine is good with Japanese food culture?" by a wine producer abroad. The judges do not actually pair with food at judging, but they use their imagination developed through familiarity with Japanese and a wide variety of Asian cuisine and score wines.
We will identify wines from Gold awarded wines (88 points or above) to match with 9 categories of Japanese and Asian cuisine. 10 items will be selected and the highest scored wines will be the Grand Prix in each category of cuisine. Our judges' experience and sophisticated sense of taste is directly reflected to this award.
- Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - SUSHI
Sushi may be the most beloved by the world among Japanese cuisine which were added to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. We will advocate superb matching of Sushi and wines selected by Japanese women’s delicate sense of taste. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - TEMPURA
Golden crispy Tempura with the umami locked inside pairs perfectly with wine. Wines which make the most of the seasonal flavors and ingredients will be introduced. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - SUKIYAKI
We believe unique wines yet with elegance can really bring out the full flavor of beef and vegetables cooked in a sweet soy-based sauce. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine – YAKITORI
There are many great wines that pair with Yakitori, a popular skewered-grilled meat and vegetables dish. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - TEPPANYAKI
Wine enhances the sizzling sounds and aroma of meat, seafood and vegetables grilled on a large iron skillet in front of you. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine – Japanese POT-AU-FEU
We typically put chicken, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu etc., in Japanese pot-au-feu, a popular menu at home during winter season. Very good with wines. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - KOREAN
It is enjoyable to select wines to pair with hot peppers, garlic, and the wide range of vegetables, meats and seafood in Korean cuisine. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - CHINESE
While respecting its over 4000 years’ history and variety, Japanese love Chinese cuisine and enjoy it as everyday dish at home. The marriage with wine will make the most of the flavor of Chinese cuisine. - Best Pairing Wine for Japanese and Asian Cuisine - THAI
Thai cuisine is complex mix of spicy and refreshing. This complexity makes wine pairing enjoyable beyond imagination.
