Japan Winery Map

Know the grapes

Muscat Bailey Aマスカット・ベーリーA

Wineries growing it
147
Awards
581
Years with awards
2003–2026

Usually makes an approachable red wine with sweet strawberry- or candy-like aromas and soft tannins.

A black grape bred in Japan by Zenbei Kawakami at Iwanohara Vineyard in Niigata, crossing the American variety Bailey with the European Muscat Hamburg. It is the most-produced red wine grape in Japan, and in 2013 it became the first Japanese black grape registered as a wine variety by the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine). Its hallmark is a jammy strawberry aroma, and the wines tend to have soft tannins (the source of astringency) and moderate acidity. It is often said to suit sweet-savoury dishes made with soy sauce and mirin, and is sometimes served lightly chilled.

Japan (Niigata)strawberrycandysoft tannins

Notes on aroma and taste describe general tendencies for this grape, not claims about any particular wine — the actual character depends on the producer and how it is made.

Statements of fact — origin, crossing, plant-variety registration and growing regions — have been checked against public bodies, research institutes, or the breeder (2 sources).

Muscat Bailey A at the Japan Wine Competition

581 awards in the published results carry “Muscat Bailey A” in the entry name, across 72 wineries and 24 years. These are read from the entry names, not from declared grape composition, so wines whose names do not mention the grape are not included.

  • Grand Gold 1
  • Gold 58
  • Silver 144
  • Bronze 264
  • Encouragement 64
  • Selected 2

Wineries with the most awards

Ordered by how many awards we list. Producers differ in how many wines they entered and in how many years they entered, so this is not a ranking of quality.

Wines that have won more than once

Grouped by producer and wine, showing those with three or more awards. Names come from the published entry names, with the vintage removed because each row spans several vintages.

By year

Wineries growing Muscat Bailey A

147 listed wineries are recorded by their sources as growing this grape.