Manns Wines
Kikkoman’s wine arm — Japan’s most ambitious mid-century corporate wine project, anchored by the 1973 Komoro winery
The Producer
Manns Wines was founded in 1962 by Kikkoman Corporation, the dominant Japanese soy-sauce maker. The internal motivation for the launch was unusual — a Kikkoman researcher argued that "real winemaking should be done by a company whose business is fermentation," reflecting Kikkoman’s confidence that its soy-sauce expertise translated naturally to wine production.
Manns initially operated from a Katsunuma facility in Yamanashi. In 1973 the company opened the Komoro Winery at the foot of Mount Asama in eastern Nagano, which has since become the company’s flagship and the location of most current production. The Komoro site is widely credited with developing the "Rain Cut Cultivation Method" (レインカット栽培), an overhead clear-roof system designed specifically to protect bunches from Japan’s monsoon rains while allowing full sunlight.
The Solaris Label
Manns’ premium line is Solaris — a series spanning Bordeaux blends, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling, and a small Koshu range. Solaris wines have been served at the 2017 Japan-US Summit Dinner and at multiple state functions over the past two decades. The line represents the company’s position as one of two or three Japanese producers (alongside Mercian and Suntory’s Tomi-no-Oka) reliably producing premium wine at corporate scale.
Other Operations
The original Katsunuma winery still operates, focused on Koshu and Muscat Bailey A. Manns also operates an upper-bracket wine restaurant and visitor program at Komoro.
Why It Matters
Manns is the corporate wine project that worked. Most large Japanese food-and-beverage companies attempted wine ventures during the 1960s and 1970s reconstruction era; most either folded or remain commodity-grade. Manns — alongside Mercian and Suntory’s Tomi-no-Oka — succeeded in building a credible premium-wine identity sustained over six decades. The Rain Cut Cultivation development in particular has influenced viticultural infrastructure across the country.
Details
- Founded: 1962
- Owner: Kikkoman Corporation
- Wineries: Komoro (Nagano, 1973), Katsunuma (Yamanashi, original)
- Premium label: Solaris
- Notable innovation: Rain Cut Cultivation Method
- State recognition: Solaris wines served at 2017 Japan-US Summit Dinner