At the inaugural Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards in Tokyo, organised by the Wine and Spirits Culture Association, the ‘all-female’ wine judges were politely reminded to “remove their lipstick” before the tastings commenced.

The competition was the first in Japan to feature an all-female panel of assessors – approximately 200 women working in the wine industry from all around the country. The organisers reasoned that female wine professionals are in a better position to understand the preferences of female consumers.

Wine consumption in Japan has tripled in the past 20 years, with women driving the market. A 2010 survey conducted by Vinexpo revealed that 42 per cent of the Japanese women interviewed responded that they drank wine more than twice a week. Among the 17,300 sommeliers certified by the Japan Sommelier Association in 2012, 47 per cent were women. Women also account for 63 per cent of JSA-certified wine experts or advisers.

The competition received 1,900 entries from 33 countries (including 150 entries from Japanese wineries), giving the Sakura awards the added distinction of being the largest in Japan. The impressive turnout demonstrates that wineries have recognised the importance of courting the ladies.