NEWS
JAPANESE SCIENTISTS DEVELOPED A NEW WINE GRAPE CALLED MUSCAT SHIRAGA
By Susan Lewis
21-10-2025
Source: Okayama University of Science
A team of Japanese scientists has developed a new red wine grape variety called Muscat Shiragai by crossing the native Shiraga grape with the well-known Muscat of Alexandria.
The group has submitted the new variety for official registration with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, and the application has been formally accepted.
Led by Professor Emeritus Takuji Hoshino of the Okayama University of Science (OUS), the group aimed at creating a wine grape that incorporates wild genetic traits which can produce a wine to contribute to the revitalisation of the Kurashiki area of Okayama Prefecture where the Shiraga grape is found.
Working in collaboration with Funao Winery in Kurashiki City, Hoshino began studying the Shiraga grape in 2018 as part of a government–recognised regional revitalization initiative.
Source: Okayama University of Science
By 2022, wines were being brewed from different breeding lines and evaluated for sugar content, acidity, pH, and taste, leading to the selection of promising strains. Drawing on these trial results, the new Muscat Shiragai variety was finalised in 2024.
In tasting, the Muscat Shiraga was described as “sweet and very delicious” for the fruit, and “with a subtle Muscat aroma and smooth drinking quality” for the wine.
Funao Winery CEO Kenichiro Miyake said: “With Muscat Shiragai as a branded grape, we hope to create a new high-value red wine identified with Kurashiki as its place of origin. Please look forward to the day when we can bring this to market.”
Currently, 20 vines are cultivated at Funao Winery and the OUS vineyard, yielding 41.6 kilograms in 2024. An additional 300 grafted vines were planted in 2023, with a goal of harvesting more than 500 kilograms by 2028–2029.
The team also plans to optimise practices such as leaf removal, fertilisation, and irrigation to further improve quality.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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