A Wine Business with a Global Perspective

Besides producing superior-quality wines at home in Japan, Suntory conducts a global wine business in cooperation with distinguished wineries throughout the world.
We acquired the management rights to the distinguished Château Lagrange winery in Bordeaux, France, in 1983, for example, becoming the first non-Western company to operate a Bordeaux Grand Cru Château. By focusing on making the highest quality wines, maintaining full respect for the traditions and customs of the Bordeaux region, we succeeded in raising the reputation of Château Lagrange to remarkable new heights within a few years of acquiring the vineyard. Since 1988, we have handled the operation of Weingut Robert Weil in Rheingau, Germany, as well. And we jointly operate two French châteaux, Château Beychevelle and Château Beaumont, as well as one négociant and the Tokaj Hétszölö domaine in Hungary.
We have completed business tie-ups with distinguished wineries in various countries, including Georges Dubœuf, Torres, E.&J.Gallo, Freixenet, Perrier-Jouët and Mumm. These connections enable us to bring fine wines from many other countries to customers in Japan.

Raising Japan's Wine to a World-class Level

Suntory's business started with wine. The introduction of Akadama Port Wine (the current Akadama Sweet Wine) by our founder Shinjiro Torii in 1907 laid the foundation for the Suntory of today. In 1936, Shinjiro joined Zenbei Kawakami, the "father of Japanese wine growing", in initiating management of a vineyard in the Tomi no oka region of Yamanashi Prefecture. Decades of operating our own vineyard and applying consistent wine-making methods, from the growing of European grapes exclusively for wine to the production and aging of the wine itself, developed the skills and know-how to produce Tomi, a red wine that represents Japan proudly throughout the world. This venerable vineyard is known today as the Suntory Tomi no oka Winery.
Our Tomi 1997 special reserve wine, the premier product of this winery and the finest fruit of our techniques and passion, became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Award at Les Citadelles du Vin 2003 international wine and spirits competition in Bordeaux, France. The wine-making techniques employed by this winery have gained worldwide recognition, and Tomi no oka, a Suntory wine named after the hill (oka) on which it is situated, joins Tomi as a highly regarded estate-bottled wine representing the winery.
As the company that led the way in developing Japan's wine market, Suntory has also introduced wines offering new value, such as Delica Maison Delicious, a wine for everyday enjoyment, and our Saishokukenbi, which refreshes both mind and body.