The Okinawan Cheese & Wine Pairing Guide

Light red wines are the great peacemakers of the wine world. Where full-bodied reds can overwhelm, and whites can feel too delicate, a good light red sits comfortably in the middle — present enough to be interesting, gentle enough to let the cheese speak. Serve slightly chilled (around 14–16°C) and don't be afraid to open the bottle early. These wines reward a little patience.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the benchmark for light red wine — and for good reason. Silky, aromatic, and deceptively complex, it carries notes of red cherry, raspberry, and dried rose petal, with an earthy undertone that makes it one of the most cheese-friendly wines in existence. It's the wine that makes people fall in love with red wine. Serve lightly chilled. It pairs beautifully with soft, creamy, and gently savoury cheeses.

🧀 Ozato White + Pinot Noir
Born in the south of Okinawa and winner of the Nanjo Selection Award, Ozato White has a white mould surface, a milky softness, and a gentle yogurt-like acidity. Pinot Noir's red fruit and earthy lift play beautifully against that creaminess — the wine brightens the cheese, the cheese softens the wine. This is a pairing that feels effortless. Serve at room temperature with a glass lightly chilled.

🧀 Fuchiba + Pinot Noir
Fuchiba — yomogi in standard Japanese, long used in Okinawa as a medicinal herb — brings a mild herbal sharpness and a gentle Cheddar-like character. Pinot Noir's earthy, forest-floor notes pick up those herbal qualities and carry them somewhere quietly elegant. This is a pairing with a strong sense of place. Pour generously.

🧀 Chura Nanjo + Pinot Noir
Named for the beautiful, unhurried south of Okinawa, Chura Nanjo is gentle and comforting — fresh, mild, and easy to love. A good Pinot Noir, with its soft tannins and red fruit, is the natural companion. Add a slice of fresh strawberry on the side if you want to take it somewhere special. This is the pairing to open an evening with.

Gamay (Beaujolais)

Gamay — the grape behind Beaujolais — is Pinot Noir's more exuberant younger sibling. Bright, juicy, and bursting with red fruit, it has a freshness that makes it one of the most versatile food wines around. Serve well chilled (around 12–14°C). It's the wine for cheeses that are fresh, milky, or gently tangy.

🧀 Cheese Curds + Gamay
Our fresh Cheese Curds are mild, milky, and squeaky-fresh — and Gamay is their ideal companion. The wine's bright acidity and red berry character lift the clean dairy notes without competing. Serve the curds cold, the Gamay well chilled. It's the kind of pairing that makes you wonder why you ever complicated things.

🧀 Tankan + Gamay
Refreshing, semi-soft, and delicately fragrant with Okinawan mandarin, Tankan cheese is sunshine in dairy form. Gamay's juicy fruit character mirrors that citrus brightness almost perfectly — two things that feel like they were always meant to be together. Serve both well chilled. This one disappears fast.

🧀 Emmental + Gamay
Mild, gently sweet, and endlessly versatile, Emmental is the cheese that works with almost everything — and Gamay is no exception. The wine's freshness cuts through the cheese's richness without overwhelming it. Try it melted onto grilled vegetables with a glass of chilled Gamay alongside. And don't forget to roast the rind in a dry pan. Seriously — do this.

Grenache

Grenache is the warm-hearted one — a light-to-medium red with generous red fruit, a hint of spice, and a softness that makes it immediately approachable. It's widely grown across southern France and Spain, and increasingly available in Japan through specialist importers. Serve slightly chilled. It has enough character for more complex cheeses without the weight of a full-bodied red.

🧀 Ozato Basil + Grenache
Lay a slice on a plate with a ripe tomato and a splash of good olive oil. Pour a lightly chilled Grenache — or a gentle Pinot Noir if that's what's open. The basil in the cheese echoes the herb notes in the wine; the tomato and oil bring everything together into something that feels less like a pairing and more like a meal. We call it Nanjonese — Caprese's Okinawan cousin, and arguably the better-looking one. This one comes with a personal recommendation from the cheesemaker himself.

🧀 Juniper Fennel + Grenache
An unusual combination of juniper berry and fennel seed makes this one of our most intriguing cheeses. Herbal, creamy, and quietly complex, it finds a natural partner in Grenache — the wine's spice notes echo the juniper, while its soft fruit rounds out the fennel. For something truly special, serve alongside Jahana Kippan's Toganzuke. We call this the Ultimate Dessert, and we mean it. 👉 Shop the Ultimate Dessert Set

🧀 Black Pepper + Grenache
A mild pecorino-style cheese with three months of maturity and a gentle heat from crushed peppercorns. Grenache's warmth and spice are a natural match — the wine softens the pepper's edge and draws out the depth that comes from slow maturation. Serve on a cracker or melted onto something from the grill. Pour the Grenache first.

Light red wines are more versatile than they're given credit for. Chill them slightly, open them early, and don't overthink it. The cheese will do the rest.

Full-bodied red wines are the big personalities of the wine world — rich, structured, and built to last. They carry weight, tannin, and depth, and they need cheeses that can match them. Serve at room temperature, open the bottle at least thirty minutes early, and don't rush it. These are wines — and cheeses — that reward a little time.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of full-bodied reds. Dark fruit, firm tannins, and a long finish — it's a wine that commands attention. Expect blackcurrant, cedar, and a hint of tobacco, with a structure that can handle the boldest cheeses on the board. Serve at room temperature. It pairs best with aged, firm, or intensely flavoured cheeses that have the character to stand their ground.

🧀 Parme-John + Cabernet Sauvignon
Parmesan started the journey, but Parme-John went its own way — younger, less salty, and made for snacking rather than grating. Its firm texture and savoury depth are exactly what Cabernet Sauvignon is looking for. The wine's tannins grip the cheese's richness and pull out something deeper. Serve in thin slices with a glass poured generously. This is a pairing that takes its time.

🧀 Kohaku + Cabernet Sauvignon
Smoked over wood from Kamimura Shuzo's old awamori barrels, Kohaku has a flavour and aroma closer to ham or bacon than anything you'd expect from cheese. It's amber-coloured, deeply smoky, and completely original. Cabernet Sauvignon's dark fruit and cedar notes are a natural match for that smokiness — two bold things that make each other better. Open the bottle early. This one deserves it.

🧀 Mellow Yellow + Cabernet Sauvignon
Beautiful to look at, with black lines of edible ash running through a rich, complex interior, Mellow Yellow is entirely original — in every sense. The combination of cultures we use to create its flavour is, we're afraid, our little secret. What we can tell you is that a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon — structured, dark, and long-finishing — is a worthy companion. Two things that don't give everything away at once.

Syrah / Shiraz

Syrah is Cabernet's wilder cousin — equally full-bodied, but with a different kind of intensity. Dark fruit, black pepper, smoked meat, and a savouriness that makes it one of the most food-friendly big reds around. In Japan, look for bottles from the Rhône Valley or Australia (where it goes by Shiraz). Serve at room temperature. It has the weight for bold, smoky, and aged cheeses — and the spice for something unexpected.

🧀 Kohaku + Syrah
If Kohaku has a soulmate in the wine world, it's Syrah. The cheese's deep smokiness and the wine's dark fruit and pepper notes are made for each other — two bold, savoury things that amplify rather than compete. This is the pairing for a long, unhurried evening with good company. Pour early. Eat slowly.

🧀 Blue Caraway + Syrah
Mild enough for blue cheese skeptics, bold enough for devotees, our Blue Caraway is Okinawa's answer to Stilton and Roquefort — without the cold-climate intensity. The caraway seeds add an aromatic twist that finds a natural echo in Syrah's peppery, spiced character. Add a drop of honey on the side. This is the combination that converts people.

🧀 Black Pepper + Syrah
A mild pecorino-style cheese with three months of maturity and a gentle heat from crushed peppercorns. Syrah's own peppery backbone meets the cheese's spice and the two find a rhythm together — bold, warming, and deeply satisfying. Serve on a cracker or melted onto something from the grill. Either way, the Syrah goes in the glass first.

Malbec

Malbec is the approachable one among the full-bodied reds — rich and plummy, with softer tannins than Cabernet and a velvety texture that makes it immediately likeable. Argentina made it famous; the Rhône Valley gave it its roots. Look for it in specialist wine shops and import stores across Japan. Serve at room temperature. It's generous enough for bold cheeses but smooth enough not to overwhelm.

🧀 Halloumi + Malbec
Our best-selling cheese — and once you taste it, you'll understand why. Grill it until soft and lightly browned, or pop it in a frying pan until the edges caramelise. Malbec's plummy richness and soft tannins are the perfect partner for that golden, slightly smoky exterior. Add a squeeze of shikwasa for a true Okinawan finish. This is the pairing to put on the table when friends arrive.

🧀 Pecorino + Malbec
Everybody's friend. Semi-hard, mild, and endlessly versatile, our Pecorino is the cheese that works in a sandwich, in a sauce, in a fondue, or simply on its own. Malbec's velvety texture and dark fruit complement the cheese's gentle saltiness without overpowering it. Simple, satisfying, and very easy to keep going back to.

🧀 Garlic + Malbec
Fair warning: this pairing is dangerously moreish. Our Garlic cheese is one of those things that disappears faster than you planned. The bold, irresistible garlic tang needs a wine with enough body and fruit to keep up — Malbec does exactly that, its plummy softness rounding out the garlic's edge rather than fighting it. Serve on a cracker. Roast the rind in a dry pan. Pour the Malbec. Repeat.

Full-bodied reds ask a lot of a cheese — and our cheeses are more than happy to deliver. Open the bottle early, take your time, and let the evening find its own pace.

Rosé is the wine that refuses to be put in a box. Not quite red, not quite white — and all the better for it. At its best, a good rosé has the freshness of a white, the fruit of a red, and a versatility that makes it one of the most food-friendly wines in existence. Serve well chilled (around 8–10°C). It pairs beautifully with cheeses that are fresh, creamy, herbal, or gently complex — which, as it happens, describes quite a few of ours.

Provençal Rosé

Provençal rosé is the benchmark — pale, dry, and elegant, with delicate notes of strawberry, peach, and fresh herbs. It's the wine that made rosé serious. Widely available in Japan through wine importers and specialist shops. Serve well chilled. It's the rosé for cheeses that are fresh, milky, or gently aromatic.

🧀 Tankan + Provençal Rosé
Refreshing, semi-soft, and delicately fragrant with Okinawan mandarin, Tankan cheese is sunshine in dairy form. A dry Provençal rosé — with its peach and citrus notes — mirrors that brightness almost perfectly. Serve both well chilled on a warm Okinawan evening. This is the pairing that needs no explanation.

🧀 Ozato Basil + Provençal Rosé
Basil and Provence were made for each other long before this cheese existed. A pale, dry Provençal rosé — with its delicate herb and peach notes — lifts the basil's brightness and adds a quiet elegance. This is a pairing that feels like the south of France and the south of Okinawa shaking hands.

🧀 Ozato White + Provençal Rosé
Born in the south of Okinawa and winner of the Nanjo Selection Award, Ozato White has a white mould surface, a milky softness, and a gentle yogurt-like acidity. A pale, dry rosé lifts that acidity beautifully and adds a whisper of red fruit that makes the cheese feel even more elegant. This is the pairing to open an evening with — light, lovely, and quietly confident.

🧀 Cheese Curds + Provençal Rosé
Fresh, milky, and squeaky-clean, our Cheese Curds are the purest expression of what cheese can be. A crisp Provençal rosé — dry, delicate, and refreshing — is their ideal companion. Serve the curds cold, the rosé well chilled. Sometimes the simplest pairings are the best ones.

Sparkling Rosé

Sparkling rosé brings bubbles to the party — and everything is better with bubbles. The effervescence adds a liveliness that cuts through richness and refreshes the palate, while the red fruit character adds depth that standard sparkling wine doesn't always have. Look for Crémant rosé or Cava rosado for excellent value in Japan. Serve very well chilled. It's the rosé for celebratory moments and cheeses with a little more character.

🧀 Sakura + Sparkling Rosé
Hand-picked, washed, dried, pressed, and salted — our cherry blossoms are treated with the care they deserve. The result is a cheese that can only be described as "cheese meets Sakura mochi." Floral, delicate, and unmistakably Japanese, it was practically made for sparkling rosé. The bubbles lift the floral notes; the red fruit echoes the cherry blossom. Pour into your best glasses. This one deserves them.

🧀 Shikwasa + Sparkling Rosé
Shikwasa rind, dried and ground to a powder, gives this cheese a bright citrus lift that is entirely its own. A drop or two of honey on the side brings out the flavour beautifully — and a glass of sparkling rosé, with its bubbles and red fruit, completes the picture. This is a pairing that feels like a celebration, even on an ordinary Tuesday.

🧀 Halloumi + Sparkling Rosé
Grill it until the edges caramelise and the inside goes soft. Then pour the sparkling rosé. The bubbles cut through the richness of the grilled cheese; the red fruit plays off the caramelised edges. Add a squeeze of shikwasa. This is the pairing for a summer afternoon that you don't want to end.

Rosé d'Anjou

Rosé d'Anjou is the softer, slightly sweeter style from the Loire Valley — off-dry, with gentle red fruit and a roundness that makes it immediately approachable. It's the rosé for those who find dry wines a little austere, and it has the sweetness to handle cheeses with a little more intensity.

🧀 Blue Caraway + Rosé d'Anjou
Mild enough for blue cheese skeptics, bold enough for devotees, our Blue Caraway finds a surprisingly lovely partner in a slightly sweet rosé. The wine's gentle sweetness tames the blue's savoury depth, while the caraway's aromatic character adds an interesting twist. Add a drop of honey. This is the combination that surprises people — in the best possible way.

🧀 Fuchiba + Rosé d'Anjou
Fuchiba's mild herbal sharpness and gentle Cheddar-like character find a natural softness in Rosé d'Anjou. The wine's off-dry fruit rounds out the herb's edge and creates something quietly harmonious. This is a pairing with a strong sense of Okinawa — and a wine that makes it feel welcoming to everyone.

🧀 Garlic + Rosé d'Anjou
Bold, irresistible, and dangerously moreish — our Garlic cheese needs a wine with enough sweetness to soften its punch. Rosé d'Anjou does exactly that, its gentle fruit wrapping around the garlic's intensity and making the whole thing feel indulgent rather than overwhelming. Serve on a cracker. You know what to do.

Rosé is the wine for people who don't want to choose — and our cheeses are happy to meet it wherever it lands. Chill it well, pour it freely, and enjoy.

Fruity white wines are the great welcomers — generous, aromatic, and immediately likeable. They lead with fruit rather than acidity, and that softness makes them some of the most versatile partners for cheese. Serve well chilled (around 8–10°C). They pair beautifully with fresh, creamy, and gently sweet cheeses — and with anything that carries a citrus or floral note. Which, around here, is quite a lot.

Riesling

Riesling is one of the world's great white grapes — and one of the most misunderstood. It can be bone dry or lusciously sweet, but the style we're talking about here is off-dry: fragrant, peachy, and bright, with a natural acidity that keeps everything fresh. German and Alsatian Rieslings are widely available in Japan. Serve well chilled. It's the white for cheeses with citrus, floral, or gently sweet character.

🧀 Tankan + Riesling
Refreshing, semi-soft, and delicately fragrant with Okinawan mandarin, Tankan cheese and off-dry Riesling are almost unfairly well matched. The wine's peach and apricot notes mirror the cheese's citrus character; the acidity keeps it all bright and clean. Serve both well chilled. This is the pairing that makes people stop mid-conversation.

🧀 Shikwasa + Riesling
Shikwasa rind, dried and ground to a powder, gives this cheese a bright citrus lift that is entirely its own. Riesling's natural affinity for citrus makes this pairing feel almost inevitable. Add a drop of honey on the side and the whole thing becomes something close to dessert — without quite crossing the line. Pour generously.

🧀 Sakura + Riesling
Floral, delicate, and unmistakably Japanese, our Sakura cheese was made for aromatic whites. An off-dry Riesling — fragrant, peachy, and gently sweet — lets the cherry blossom character speak without interrupting it. This is a pairing as delicate as it sounds. Serve in your best glasses and take your time.

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is the most flamboyant white wine in the world — intensely aromatic, with notes of lychee, rose petal, ginger, and exotic spice. It's a wine that announces itself. Alsace is its spiritual home, and bottles are available through specialist importers in Japan. Serve well chilled. It has the personality for cheeses that are bold, spiced, or richly aromatic.

🧀 Juniper Fennel + Gewürztraminer
An unusual combination of juniper berry and fennel seed makes this one of our most intriguing cheeses. Herbal, creamy, and quietly complex — and Gewürztraminer is its perfect match. The wine's exotic spice echoes the juniper; its floral lift softens the fennel. This is a pairing that feels like it was designed rather than discovered. For something truly extraordinary, serve alongside Jahana Kippan's Toganzuke. 👉 Shop the Ultimate Dessert Set

🧀 Goya + Gewürztraminer
The bitterness is gone — drawn out in the dehydrator along with the juice — but the colour remains, giving this cheese its striking green hue. What's left is subtle and intriguing, a whisper of goya rather than a shout. Gewürztraminer's exotic fruit and spice provide a beautiful contrast, its sweetness playing off the cheese's gentle earthiness. This is the cheese that makes a cheese plate look extraordinary — and this wine makes it taste that way too.

🧀 Fuchiba + Gewürztraminer
Fuchiba's mild herbal sharpness and gentle Cheddar-like character find an unexpected but brilliant partner in Gewürztraminer. The wine's rose petal and lychee notes soften the herb's edge and lift the whole pairing somewhere floral and fragrant. Deeply Okinawan, quietly sophisticated, and very hard to forget.

Viognier

Viognier is the velvet glove of white wines — full-bodied, richly aromatic, and lush, with notes of peach, apricot, and white flowers. It's less common than Riesling or Gewürztraminer but increasingly available in Japan through natural wine importers and specialist shops. Serve well chilled. It has the body for richer, creamier cheeses and the fruit for anything with a floral or stone-fruit character.

🧀 Ozato White + Viognier
Born in the south of Okinawa and winner of the Nanjo Selection Award, Ozato White has a white mould surface, a milky softness, and a gentle yogurt-like acidity. Viognier's peach and apricot richness wraps around that creaminess beautifully — the wine adds body, the cheese adds freshness, and the two find a perfect balance. This is a pairing that feels quietly luxurious.

🧀 Chura Nanjo + Viognier
Named for the beautiful, unhurried south of Okinawa, Chura Nanjo is gentle and comforting — fresh, mild, and easy to love. Viognier's lush, floral character elevates it without overwhelming it. Add a slice of fresh peach or a spoonful of jam on the side. This is the pairing to end a long week with.

🧀 Mellow Yellow + Viognier
Beautiful to look at, with black lines of edible ash running through a rich, complex interior, Mellow Yellow is entirely original. Its depth and complexity find a worthy partner in Viognier's richness — two things that reward attention. Pour the wine, cut the cheese, and see where the evening takes you.

Fruity whites are generous by nature — and generosity, as any good host knows, is the foundation of a great evening. Chill the wine, bring out the cheese, and let the conversation do the rest.

Dry white wines are the purists of the wine world — no sweetness to hide behind, just clean acidity, mineral character, and precision. That clarity makes them extraordinary partners for cheese: they cut through richness, lift delicate flavours, and refresh the palate between bites. Serve well chilled (around 8–10°C). They pair beautifully with fresh, firm, and savoury cheeses — and with anything that benefits from a little brightness.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the world's most planted white grape — and in its unoaked or lightly oaked form, one of the most food-friendly. Expect green apple, lemon, and a clean minerality, with a body that sits comfortably between delicate and rich. Burgundy is its spiritual home; good examples are widely available across Japan. Serve well chilled. It's the dry white for cheeses that are firm, savoury, or gently nutty.

🧀 Parme-John + Chardonnay
Parmesan started the journey, but Parme-John went its own way — younger, less salty, and made for snacking rather than grating. A clean, unoaked Chardonnay cuts through the cheese's savouriness and brings out a nuttiness that you might not have noticed before. Serve in thin slices with a glass poured cold. This is the pairing that rewards paying attention.

🧀 Emmental + Chardonnay
Mild, gently sweet, and endlessly versatile, Emmental finds a natural partner in Chardonnay's clean apple and lemon character. The wine's acidity cuts through the cheese's richness; the cheese softens the wine's edge. Try it melted onto grilled vegetables with a glass alongside. And roast the rind in a dry pan. We will keep saying this until everyone does it.

🧀 Pecorino + Chardonnay
Everybody's friend. Semi-hard, mild, and endlessly versatile, our Pecorino is the cheese that works everywhere — and Chardonnay is the wine that does the same. Together they are quietly, reliably excellent. No drama, no surprises, just a very good glass and a very good cheese. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is the sharpest tool in the white wine box — crisp, grassy, and intensely aromatic, with notes of grapefruit, green herbs, and cut grass. New Zealand and the Loire Valley produce the benchmark styles, both widely available in Japan. Serve very well chilled. It's the dry white for herbal, tangy, and fresh cheeses — and for anything that carries a bold, distinctive character.

🧀 Fuchiba + Sauvignon Blanc
Fuchiba — yomogi in standard Japanese, long used in Okinawa as a medicinal herb — brings a mild herbal sharpness and a gentle Cheddar-like character. Sauvignon Blanc's grassy, citrus-forward intensity is a natural match for those herbal notes. Two things that share a language. This is a pairing that is unmistakably Okinawan and unmistakably good.

🧀 Ozato Basil + Sauvignon Blanc
Ozato White's award-winning sibling, infused with the bright, peppery character of fresh basil. Sauvignon Blanc's grassy, citrus-forward intensity is a natural match — the wine picks up the herb's sharpness and carries it somewhere clean and vivid. This is a pairing that tastes like a warm afternoon. Serve very well chilled.

🧀 Goya + Sauvignon Blanc
The bitterness is gone — drawn out in the dehydrator — but the colour and the intrigue remain. What's left is subtle and earthy, a whisper of goya rather than a shout. Sauvignon Blanc's bright acidity and herbal lift provide the perfect contrast, its freshness cutting through the cheese's gentle earthiness and making the whole thing sing.

🧀 Cheese Curds + Sauvignon Blanc
Fresh, milky, and squeaky-clean, our Cheese Curds are the purest expression of what cheese can be. Sauvignon Blanc's bright acidity and citrus character lift those clean dairy notes and make them feel even fresher. Serve the curds cold, the wine very well chilled. Simple, sharp, and completely satisfying.

Albariño

Albariño is the hidden gem of dry whites — a Spanish grape from Galicia with a distinctive saline minerality, bright citrus acidity, and a freshness that makes it one of the most refreshing wines in the world. It's gaining ground in Japan through specialist importers and natural wine bars, particularly in Tokyo. Serve very well chilled. It has the salinity and acidity for fresh, creamy, and coastal-inspired cheeses.

🧀 Halloumi + Albariño
Grill the Halloumi until the edges caramelise and the inside goes soft. Then pour the Albariño. The wine's saline minerality and bright acidity cut through the richness of the grilled cheese in a way that feels almost designed for it — clean, refreshing, and deeply satisfying. Add a squeeze of shikwasa. This is the pairing that tastes like Okinawa by the sea.

🧀 Shikwasa + Albariño
Shikwasa rind, dried and ground to a powder, gives this cheese a bright citrus lift that finds an immediate echo in Albariño's own citrus and saline character. Two things from different coastlines that speak the same language. Add a drop of honey if you want to take it somewhere a little sweeter.

🧀 Ozato White + Albariño
Born in the south of Okinawa and winner of the Nanjo Selection Award, Ozato White has a white mould surface, a milky softness, and a gentle yogurt-like acidity. Albariño's saline freshness and citrus brightness lift that acidity beautifully — the wine adds energy, the cheese adds calm, and the two find something quietly perfect together.

Dry whites don't flatter — they reveal. And our cheeses, it turns out, have nothing to hide. Chill the wine properly, take your time, and let the clarity do its work.

Sparkling wine is the great occasion-maker — but it's far too good to save only for celebrations. The bubbles do something that still wines can't: they cleanse the palate, cut through richness, and add a liveliness that makes every bite of cheese feel like the first one. Serve very well chilled (around 6–8°C). Sparkling wine pairs beautifully with almost any cheese — but it truly excels with fresh, creamy, and delicately flavoured ones.

Champagne

Champagne is the benchmark — the sparkling wine against which all others are measured. Made exclusively in the Champagne region of France from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, it combines fine bubbles, toasty complexity, and a precise acidity that is unlike anything else. Available in Japan at department stores, specialist wine shops, and online importers. Serve very well chilled, in a proper flute or tulip glass. It deserves your most special cheeses.

🧀 Mellow Yellow + Champagne
Beautiful to look at, with black lines of edible ash running through a rich, complex interior, Mellow Yellow is entirely original — in every sense. Champagne's toasty complexity and fine bubbles are the ideal companion for a cheese this layered and this hard to pin down. Two things that reward attention. Open the bottle. Cut the cheese. See what happens.

🧀 Sakura + Champagne
Hand-picked, washed, dried, pressed, and salted — our cherry blossoms are treated with the care they deserve. The result is a cheese that can only be described as "cheese meets Sakura mochi." Floral, delicate, and unmistakably Japanese, it was practically made for Champagne. The fine bubbles lift the floral notes; the toasty complexity adds depth without weight. Pour into your best glasses. This one is worth it.

🧀 Ozato White + Champagne
Born in the south of Okinawa and winner of the Nanjo Selection Award, Ozato White has a white mould surface, a milky softness, and a gentle yogurt-like acidity. Champagne's precision and effervescence cut through that creaminess and lift the flavour in a way that feels almost effortless. Start your evening here. There is no better opener.

Prosecco

Prosecco is Champagne's more relaxed Italian cousin — lighter, fruitier, and with a gentle sweetness that makes it immediately approachable. Made from Glera grapes in the Veneto region, it's widely available across Japan at supermarkets, convenience stores, and wine shops. Serve very well chilled. It's the sparkling wine for everyday moments and fresh, milky cheeses that don't need a grand occasion.

🧀 Cheese Curds + Prosecco
Fresh, milky, and squeaky-clean, our Cheese Curds are the purest expression of what cheese can be — and Prosecco is their ideal sparkling partner. The wine's gentle fruit and fine bubbles lift the clean dairy notes without competing. Serve the curds cold, the Prosecco very well chilled. This is the pairing for a Tuesday evening that deserves to feel like a Friday.

🧀 Tankan + Prosecco
Refreshing, semi-soft, and delicately fragrant with Okinawan mandarin, Tankan cheese and Prosecco share a natural brightness that makes them feel made for each other. The wine's peach and apple notes mirror the cheese's citrus character; the bubbles keep everything lively. Serve both very well chilled. This one disappears fast.

🧀 Chura Nanjo + Prosecco
Named for the beautiful, unhurried south of Okinawa, Chura Nanjo is gentle and comforting — fresh, mild, and easy to love. Prosecco's approachable fruit and gentle effervescence are a natural match. Add a slice of fresh peach on the side. This is the pairing for a warm afternoon that you don't want to end.

Cava

Cava is Spain's answer to Champagne — made in the traditional method but with indigenous Spanish grapes, giving it an earthy, nutty character that sets it apart. Excellent value and increasingly available in Japan through specialist importers and online wine retailers. Serve very well chilled. It has the complexity for aged and savoury cheeses, and the freshness for something more delicate.

🧀 Parme-John + Cava
Younger, less salty, and made for snacking rather than grating, Parme-John's firm texture and savoury depth find a natural partner in Cava's earthy, nutty complexity. The bubbles cut through the richness; the wine's character matches the cheese's without either one taking over. Serve in thin slices with a cold glass alongside. This is the pairing that makes you reach for more of both.

🧀 Halloumi + Cava
Grill the Halloumi until the edges caramelise and the inside goes soft. Then pour the Cava. The bubbles cut through the richness of the grilled cheese; the wine's earthy complexity plays off the caramelised edges. Add a squeeze of shikwasa for a true Okinawan finish. This is the pairing for a gathering — make plenty of both.

🧀 Blue Caraway + Cava
Mild enough for blue cheese skeptics, bold enough for devotees, our Blue Caraway finds a surprisingly brilliant partner in Cava. The wine's earthy, nutty character stands up to the blue's savoury depth, while the bubbles cut through the richness and refresh the palate. Add a drop of honey. This is the combination that converts people — and Cava makes it accessible enough to try on anyone.

Sparkling wine doesn't need a reason. It is the reason. Chill it well, pour it freely, and remember: the best time to open a bottle of bubbles is whenever you feel like it.

Orange wine is the wine world's best kept secret — and one of its oldest. Made from white grapes but fermented with their skins (just as red wine is made), it takes on an amber or copper hue, a tannic grip that white wine never has, and a complexity that sits somewhere between a white, a red, and something entirely its own. It's ancient in origin — Georgia and Slovenia have been making it for thousands of years — and thoroughly modern in its revival. In Japan, you'll find it at natural wine bars in Tokyo, Nakameguro, and Shimokitazawa, and through specialist importers online. Serve lightly chilled (around 12–14°C), in a wide-bowled glass. And approach it with an open mind. It will reward you.

Amber / Skin-Contact White

The classic style — white grapes left in contact with their skins for days, weeks, or even months. The result is a wine with the aromatics of a white, the structure of a red, and a flavour profile that can include dried apricot, walnut, beeswax, chamomile, and a gentle tannic grip that makes it extraordinary with food. Look for Georgian Rkatsiteli, Slovenian Rebula, or Italian Ramato (made from Pinot Grigio) through Tokyo importers such as Racines or Vinature.

🧀 Mellow Yellow + Amber / Skin-Contact White
Beautiful to look at, with black lines of edible ash running through a rich, complex interior, Mellow Yellow is entirely original — in every sense. An amber wine, with its own visual drama and layered complexity, is its perfect counterpart. Two things that are difficult to categorise and impossible to forget. Pour the wine, cut the cheese, and don't rush either of them.

🧀 Blue Caraway + Amber / Skin-Contact White
Mild enough for blue cheese skeptics, bold enough for devotees, our Blue Caraway finds in orange wine a partner with enough tannic structure to stand up to the blue's savoury depth — something most white wines simply can't do. The caraway's aromatic character echoes the wine's dried herb and walnut notes. Add a drop of honey. This is the pairing that makes people reconsider everything they thought they knew about white wine.

🧀 Kohaku + Amber / Skin-Contact White
Smoked over wood from Kamimura Shuzo's old awamori barrels, Kohaku has a flavour and aroma closer to ham or bacon than anything you'd expect from cheese. Orange wine's oxidative, nutty complexity is one of the few whites bold enough to meet it. The wine's tannins grip the smokiness; its dried fruit notes add a sweetness that makes the whole thing deeply satisfying. This is the pairing for the adventurous — and it will not disappoint.

Natural Orange Wine

Natural orange wine takes the skin-contact method and adds minimal intervention — wild fermentation, no added sulphites, unfiltered. The result is wilder, more unpredictable, and often more alive than conventional wine. Flavours can range from bruised apple and ginger to fermented tea and dried flowers. Japan's natural wine scene — particularly in Tokyo — has embraced it enthusiastically, and bottles from Georgia, Slovenia, Italy, and even domestic Japanese producers are increasingly available.

🧀 Fuchiba + Natural Orange Wine
Fuchiba — yomogi in standard Japanese, long used in Okinawa as a medicinal herb — brings a mild herbal sharpness and a gentle Cheddar-like character. A natural orange wine, with its wild fermentation notes and dried herb complexity, picks up those herbal qualities and carries them somewhere unexpected and wonderful. This is a pairing with a deep sense of place — Okinawan ingredients meeting ancient winemaking tradition. Quietly extraordinary.

🧀 Juniper Fennel + Natural Orange Wine
An unusual combination of juniper berry and fennel seed makes this one of our most intriguing cheeses. Natural orange wine — unpredictable, aromatic, and alive — is its ideal companion. The wine's wild character echoes the cheese's botanical complexity; neither one tries to tame the other. This is the pairing for people who like their evenings interesting. For something truly unforgettable, serve alongside Jahana Kippan's Toganzuke. 👉 Shop the Ultimate Dessert Set

🧀 Goya + Natural Orange Wine
The bitterness is gone — drawn out in the dehydrator — but the colour and the intrigue remain. What's left is subtle, earthy, and quietly complex. Natural orange wine, with its own earthy depth and fermented character, meets the cheese on its own terms. This is the pairing for the curious — two things from opposite ends of the world that find, somehow, a common language.

Aged / Oxidative Orange Wine

Some orange wines are aged for extended periods in clay amphorae or old oak barrels, developing a deeper oxidative character — closer to sherry or aged white Burgundy than anything conventionally fruity. These are the most complex and challenging orange wines, and the most rewarding with the right cheese. Seek them out through specialist importers in Tokyo; they are rare, but worth the search.

🧀 Parme-John + Aged Orange Wine
Parme-John's firm texture, savoury depth, and gentle nuttiness find a natural partner in an aged orange wine's oxidative, walnut-and-dried-fruit complexity. Two things that have taken their time and are better for it. Serve in thin slices with a glass poured at room temperature. This is the pairing for a quiet evening and a long conversation.

🧀 Shikwasa + Aged Orange Wine
Shikwasa rind, dried and ground to a powder, gives this cheese a bright citrus lift that cuts beautifully through the oxidative depth of an aged orange wine. The contrast is the point — the wine's richness, the cheese's brightness, a drop of honey on the side. This is a pairing that surprises every time, even when you know it's coming.

🧀 Chura Nanjo + Aged Orange Wine
Named for the beautiful, unhurried south of Okinawa, Chura Nanjo is gentle and comforting — fresh, mild, and easy to love. An aged orange wine, with its depth and complexity, lifts it somewhere unexpected. Add a slice of dried fig or a spoonful of dark honey on the side. This is the pairing to end an evening with — and to remember long after.

Orange wine asks something of you — a little curiosity, a little patience, and a willingness to be surprised. Our cheeses ask the same. Between them, they will not let you down.