Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards announced

One of the largest wine competitions in Japan, the Women’s Wine Awards has announced the launch of its 2017 event with entries open from October.

Chaired and founded by Yumi Tanabe, a wine educator, journalist and consultant, the Japan Women’s Wine awards is now in its fourth year and aims to recognize the increasing quality of indigenous Japanese grapes as well as international varieties.

The competition is open from 1 October to 30 November with samples to be delivered to Sakura’s head office in Tokyo by 13 January.

Categories include Best Wine for Asian Food, Best Women Winemaker and Japan’s first accreditation of Official Wine Instructor and any wine can be entered falling under the following styles: still red, white or rose, sparkling and sweet wine.

Entries are open to all but the judging panel is made up purely of women, which Tanabe said was in recognition of the fact that more women in Japan are becoming wine consumers and increasing their wine knowledge.

“The number of working women has increased and they have more opportunity to dine out with wines,” she said.

“Also more women are travelling abroad and they are experiencing different wines in foreign countries. Interestingly, we are seeing more female attendees at wine schools in order to deepen their wine knowledge.”

Last year’s awards saw more than 3,500 entries from 35 countries with Karen Turner of Domaine Turner-Pageot in the Languedoc winning the award for Best Woman Winemaker.

Tanabe said: “I am delighted that Japan Women’s Wine Awards is gaining recognition as an international wine competition of note and wines from new countries participating for the first time act to revitalise the market in Japan.”

For full competition details, visit the Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards website.