This month we are featuring wines from the Chikumagawa Wine District of Nagano. The area is named for the river running through it from the Japanese Alps over 350km to the Sea of Japan. The vineyards are principally situated around Saku, Komoro, Tomi, Ueda and Suzaka cities. Over the past 15 years, these local governments … Continue reading October Recommendations

We are starting to see signs of the coming Fall season in the mountains of Nagano. The local farmers are preparing the fields for the rice harvest, which starts mid-month, and the soba fields are now covered in white flowers. The temperature is also dropping, and we are awakening to mornings in the high teens … Continue reading September Recommendations

Summer has arrived in Nagano. The usually brief rainy season is over and the prefecture is less troubled by typhoons than localities on Japan’s Pacific Coast. Nagano also does not suffer as much from Japan’s summer heat as its neighbors in Yamanashi, Gumma, and Saitama prefectures. One reason is the higher elevation – generally over … Continue reading August Recommendations

We would like to recommend some Nagano Chardonnays to start your summer off right. Both of the wines featured below are made in relatively small volumes, but you should be able to get your hands on either one through the producer's online shop or a major online shopping site. Happy drinking.