Wineries that spell Japanese elan

There is so much history around some wineries in Japan that it is expected to amaze many wine aficionado. Château Mercian and Lumiere are two such wineries in Yamanashi Prefecture where so much can be learnt about wine making traditions and old practices; many of which still hold true. I was looking forward to an opportunity to visit some wineries in Japan and these two wineries were perfect for my introduction to Japanese wines and wine making tradition.

Situated in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, the Château Mercian winery in Katsunuma (Yamanashi) is both pristine and sprawling at the same time. Its vineyards, spread on the hills with gentle slopes, present a fascinating view. I spent half a day at this vineyard & winery and tasted some of its signature wines.

For the uninitiated, Katsunuma is a famous grape producing area in Japan. It is located about 15 km east of Kofu city and about 35 km north of Mt.Fuji. In Japanese, this area is called Katsunuma Budou-kyô by way of a nickname, which means ‘Katsunuma grape country.’ The nearest railway station is named after it.The area is well suited for grape cultivation as rainfall is moderate and the temperature variation between day and night is quite huge.

Pioneer Wine-maker

The Château Mercian winery is the pioneer wine- maker in Japan. In fact, it inherits the history of ‘Dai- Nihon Yamanashi Budoushu Garisha,’ the first private wine company in Japan, founded in 1877. Starting small, the Château Mercian now owns and runs three wineries including one in Katsunuma, while the other two are Château Mercian Kikyogahara winery in Soga, Shiojiri, at Nagano Prefecture while the third is called Château Mercian Mariko winery in Nagase, Ueda, at Nagano Prefecture.

As I entered its premises, I learnt that the Château Mercian Katsunuma Winery has not only vineyards and a winemaking area, but also houses a wine museum, café, tasting counter and shop. While some were lining up to register for the winery tour, many others were browsing through the shelves, stocked as they were, with the wide variety of white, red and rose wines.

Several groups of wine lovers were seen sipping on the delicate wines, sitting under the azure blue sky, on the lawns of the vineyard. The wine gallery and tasting counter offer only those wines which are available in this winery. Normally, more than 10 wines by the glass are available here at all times of the day.

Point of Origin

The high interest in Château Mercian wines emanates from the fact that it is the point of origin for Japanese wines. The company is very particular in adhering to its most stringent practices in wine making. “Through this brand, our aim is to get Japan recognised as one of the world’s foremost regions for producing distinctive wine,” claims the company website.

Château Mercian also wants Japanese wine to be appreciated and more widely consumed in Japan itself, and for this it keeps its doors open to the general public and allows them to taste its offerings. Going beyond the stated line, Château Mercian took on the challenge of growing Merlot at Kikyogahara from the year 1976.

The Château Mercian Shinshu Kikyogahara Merlot 1985 was finally released in 1989, and bagged the Grand Gold Medal at the International Competition of Wine in Ljubljana. The vineyard continued to win medals and earned worldwide recognition as a region engaged in producing superb Merlot.

Illustrious List

This famous and big wine company of Japan owned by Mercian Corporation boasts of an illustrious list of wines, which include Château Mercian Aiakane red blend, Château Mercian Momoiro (rose), Château Mercian Moegi(white blend), Château Mercian Iwade Koshu, Kiiroka Cuvée Ueno, Château Mercian Mariko Merlot, Château Mercian Mariko Syrah, Château Mercian Nagano Merlot, Château Mercian Omori Riesling and Château Mercian Hokushin Chardonnay.

Many Château Mercian’s wines have won gold medals year on year and some of these include Château Mercian Mariko Chardonnay 2018 at the Citadelles du Vin 2020 international wine competition held in Bordeaux, France in 2020. It emerged victorious as the only Japanese wine to be awarded a gold medal. The following year, the Château Mercian Hokushin Left Bank Chardonnay Rivalis 2019 won the gold medal at the Challenge International du Vin held in Bordeaux, France. The list is long and impressive.