Chateau Mercian - The Japanese Trailblazer!

Isn’t it surprising to know that currently there are about 230 operating wineries in Japan? It all started back in 718 AD. The Jesuit Missionaries were the ones who brought European wines to Japan from Portugal and offered them to the Feudal Lords who used to rule the ‘Kyūshū’ in those days.

@30th Best Winery in the World - Best vineyard in Asia.

Katsunuma and Yamanashi were the first choices to start domestic wine cultivation during the Meiji era (1868- 1912) as these regions already had a history of growing grapes like ‘Koshu’ (White grape variety from the Vitis Coignetiae, called Crimson glory vine). Two enthusiast named Masanari Takano, and Ryuken Tsuchiya were asked to learn wine-making in France by ‘Dai-Nihon Yamanashi Budoshu Gaisha’ (first private wine company in 1877) as Japan realized that they have a bright future in growing vines and also the wine prefectures were increasing day by day. Japanese vignerons started massive plantation of more European grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc etc. However, in the early 19th-century phylloxera struck and the vines went dormant and later post World war II.

In the 1950s, Japan started experiments of breeding European grape varieties along with Japanese grapes. ‘Riesling Rion’, and ‘MondBriller’ for whites and ‘Kai Noir’, Bijou Noir’ and ‘Yama Sauvignon’.

‘Hokkaido’, the northern island produces grape varieties like Kerner, Müller- Thurgau, Zweigeltrebe etc. due to a cool climate. ‘Yamagata’, being an inland region produces Muscat Bailey A, Delaware and Chardonnay. ‘Nagano’, being a region having low rainfall and high diurnal range in temperature manages to produce Concord (American variety) and Merlots and Chardonnay. ‘Yamanashi’, is the major viticulture district here in Japan producing Koshu and Muscat Bailey A in local grape varieties and Cabernet Sauvignon in the International ones. Chateau Mercian, Sapporo and Suntory are among the top wineries in Japan.

@Japanese Wine Regions.
Image Credits - www.winery.or.jp

Founded in 1949, Château Mercian is regarded as one of the first wineries to put Japan on the global wine map. It started gaining worldwide recognition in 1966 when Chateau Mercian (white, vintage 1962) was awarded a Gold medal in an international wine competition. In 1976, Shogo Asai (known as the father of modern Japanese wine) introduced Merlot in the Kikyogahara vineyards (Nagano Prefecture) where they were first grown. The château owns three wineries out of which the Katsunuma Winery is located in ‘Yamanashi’ Prefecture and Kikyogahara and Mariko Winery in Nagano Prefecture. Apart from these two prefecture vineyards are planted in Akita, Fukushima, Kyoto and Osaka.

At the base of Mount Fuji, lies a long history of Japanese wines. Chateau Mercian’s Katsunuma winery is located here which is known for producing Koshu They were the first ones to adopt ‘guyot’ plantation in 1984 for their top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon in Jyonohira vineyards. Vineyards are planted on gentle slopes at 550-600m above sea level with the huge large diurnal difference between day and night along with clay soil. Their wine ‘Ortus’ (origin in Latin) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc made from grapes harvested from the Jyonohira vineyards.

The winery produces ‘Signature’ a single vineyard wine, which is the complete expression of terroir. In 1989, Château Mercian released their Merlot which was planted in Kikyogahara (vintage 1985) won a Gold medal in an International Competition of Wine hosted in Ljubljana. The vineyards are located at 730 meters in volcanic ash soil. These single-vineyard collection wines tend to go under serious barrel ageing.

@Château Mercian ‘Signature’ Kikyogahara Merlot.

Vertical shoot positioning cultivation has seen a boom in Japanese wine regions. In the north of Nagano Prefecture, Chardonnay is planted using this shoot positioning in Hokushin region. Château Mercian also sources grape from the vineyards in Niitsuru district in Fukushima Prefecture since 1975. Gentle hills, good drainage, ample amount of sunlight, and excellent diurnal range in temperature gives Chardonnay an excellent terroir to grow. In 2001 the Château released a Niitsuru Chardonnay after overcoming the autumn rain issues which were overcome by constructing rain shelters across the vineyards in 1998.

@Chateau Mercian, Nagano Chardonnay.

The Château also planted Riesling and Kerner back in 1982 in the Omori vineyards of Akita. First released in 1983, however, has a substantial amount of residual sugar. A drier style was launched in 1991. Overhead trellis on clay soil and cool climate make it ideal for growing these varieties. Winemaking techniques were evolved in the later years and Château Mercian Omori Riesling 2008 vintage was released in 2010.

The Jinba Plateau in Mariko (Ueda) in Nagano Prefecture showed the exceptional quality of grapes which lead the winery to buy land here in 2003 and in 2018 Château Mercian opened a winery here. Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are also planted here. The origin of the word ‘Mariko’ comes from ‘Mariko no Miko, son of Kinmei Emperor who used to rule in the 6th century.

@Mr Mitsuhiro Anzo.

Mr Mitsuhiro Anzo is currently the General Manager and the Chief Winemaker of Château Mercian along with Mr Takayuki Tamura who handles Katsunuma Winery, Mr Yasuaki Katsuno takes care of Kikyogahara Winery and Mr Hironori Kobayashi who is appointed as a General Manager and Winemaker at Mariko Winery.

Kenichi Ohashi (MW) is the current Brand consultant for the Château who always like to introduce this Japanese wine as a complete package of rich and old heritage history of 150 years collaborated with advanced techniques adopted in the winery showcasing excellent terroir and experience in the glass.

Château Mercian has set a benchmark in the Asian wine industry. Winery celebrates the rank of the 30th best winery in the world awarded by the World Best Winery 2020 along with the Best vineyard in Asia.

Instagram: @chateaumercian

Website: https://www.chateaumercian.com/

Article by - Ranjit Shirke, Certified Sommelier.