Marufuji Winery (Rubaiyat)

Marufuji Winery was founded in May 1890 by Jisaku Omura, placing it among the oldest continuously operating wineries in Japan. Its main building dates to the late Edo Period (1603-1867), and four generations of the Omura family have dedicated themselves to winemaking at this site. The winery sits within Katsunuma, a region whose grape-growing history stretches back over a millennium, with commercial wine production beginning in 1877 when Japan's first winemaking company was established there. The historic farmhouse-style architecture overlooks the Katsunuma valley, and an underground cellar beneath the property holds more than 90,000 bottles.

• Founded 1890 by Jisaku Omura; four generations of family ownership
• Main building originates from the late Edo Period (1603-1867)
• Katsunuma wine production began in 1877 with Japan's first winemaking company
• Underground cellar capacity exceeds 90,000 bottles

Katsunuma sits at approximately 300 meters elevation in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan's most important wine region. The area occupies a well-drained, fan-shaped expanse revered for grape cultivation since the Edo period. Soils are volcanic and sandy, with clay-based profiles varying by location. The inland continental climate delivers large diurnal temperature swings, hot and humid summers, cold dry winters, and four distinct seasons. These conditions, combined with volcanic soils and the region's unique microclimate, create an environment well-suited to Koshu and other varieties.

• Elevation approximately 300 meters in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture
• Volcanic, well-drained sandy soils with some clay-based areas
• Inland continental climate with significant day-to-night temperature variation
• Fan-shaped alluvial expanse recognized for viticulture since the Edo period

Marufuji grows Koshu as its primary white variety, alongside Muscat Bailey A, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery's defining contribution to Japanese wine is its use of the sur lie method for Koshu, a technique that builds texture and aromatic complexity in a grape variety otherwise known for its delicate, neutral character. The resulting Rubaiyat Koshu Sur Lie is a dry white wine with fruity aromatics, styled in a manner compared to Chablis. Muscat Bailey A and other red varieties support a range of red and blended wines alongside the flagship whites.

• Koshu is the primary focus; also grows Muscat Bailey A, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc
• Rubaiyat Koshu Sur Lie is the flagship wine, dry with fruity aromatics
• Sur lie aging adds texture and complexity to Koshu's naturally delicate profile
• Style often compared to Chablis in its dry, mineral-inflected character

The Rubaiyat brand name, adopted by Marufuji for its wines, derives from the Persian word for quatrain, a four-line verse form. The name was inspired by the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, the celebrated 11th-century Persian poet whose work celebrates wine, life, and philosophy. This literary connection gives the brand a distinctive international character unusual among Japanese producers. Rubaiyat Koshu Sur Lie is the label's best-known wine and serves as a reference point for the sur lie style in Japan.

• Rubaiyat means quatrain in Persian, inspired by poet Omar Khayyam
• Brand name reflects literary and philosophical traditions connecting wine and culture
• Rubaiyat Koshu Sur Lie is the flagship and most recognized label
• The brand has helped position Koshu as a serious international white wine style

Katsunuma, now part of Koshu City in Yamanashi Prefecture, is the historical and commercial heart of Japanese wine production. The area hosts approximately 30 to 40 wineries and has produced grapes for over a thousand years. Commercial winemaking began here in 1877 with the founding of Japan's first winemaking company. The Koshu grape itself arrived in Japan more than 1,000 years ago, traveling via the Silk Road from the Caucasus. Yamanashi Prefecture as a whole forms the most concentrated and historically significant wine-producing area in Japan.

• Katsunuma hosts approximately 30-40 wineries, the densest concentration in Japan
• Commercial wine production in Katsunuma began in 1877
• Koshu grape arrived in Japan over 1,000 years ago via the Silk Road from the Caucasus
• Yamanashi Prefecture is Japan's most historically significant wine-producing region