The oldest established winery in Japan is Château Mercian. Back in 1870 Château Mercian sent two young men to France to learn about how to grow and make wine. Descendants can still be traced back to Mercian today. Grapes were probably introduced to Japan back some 1300 years ago.
Koshu is a very delicate grape, and suitably Japanese in this way. It has subtle flavour and a light fresh texture. It is also a lunch time friendly 11%. This had added complexity the grapes are destemmed and crushed and the juice is split into components. Some of the wine spends four weeks with skin contact in a stainless tank, most of the rest sees two weeks with skin contact in a wooden vat. The wines are then blended and aged in oak barrels for 8 more months.
With hints of a light reddish orange hue, this wine boasts a delicate bouquet of apricot, candied pear, Darjeeling and Rose, complemented by subtle vanilla notes from its 8 months in oak barrels. Its complex palate is derived from gentle skin contact, providing a three-dimensional experience in the mouth.
