Like us, we suspect that most of you are hunkered down waiting out the coronavirus. But despite the “isolation”, we continue to enjoy Nagano wines ordered online directly from the wineries. You can too! Our recommendations this month focus on Nagano wineries that offer a wide selection of interesting wines, payment by credit card and … Continue reading April Recommendations
Category: Recommendations
March Recommendations
March is an in between month in Nagano. It is still winter – the mornings are below zero degrees and the mountains are still white with snow. But Spring is just around the corner – and none more so than this year when a combination of light snowfall and temperatures rising into the teens have … Continue reading March Recommendations
February Recommendations: A Visit to Chateau Mercian Mariko Vineyard
This past weekend we traveled to Chateau Mercian's new visitor's center at its 30 hectare Mariko Vineyard. Chateau Mercian began developing the Mariko Vineyard nearly 20 years ago naming it after a 6th century scion of the Kinmei Emperor. The area is widely regarded as one of the best wine-growing areas in Nagano Prefecture, because … Continue reading February Recommendations: A Visit to Chateau Mercian Mariko Vineyard
January Recommendations
We are starting out the New Year with some delicious recommendations for red wines. Nagano is increasingly becoming known for the quality and variety of its red wines. Merlot remains at the top of the heap and we have a very nice 100 percent Merlot from the Manns Winery in Komoro City that will make … Continue reading January Recommendations
December Recommendations
The Christmas Season is approaching and there is no better time to enjoy the “fruits of the vine” than this period. So, we are recommending two delicious reds that will compliment your turkey and gravy. Many Japanese winemakers have embraced the notion that they need to make wines that go well with Japanese foods, such … Continue reading December Recommendations
October Recommendations
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
September 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
August 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
