Koshu is the haiku of the wine world: subtle, layered, and quietly profound. You’ll find sweet, gentle aromas of green apple, candied nashi pear, apricot skins, Darjeeling tea, and old rose, with just a whisper of vanilla from eight months in oak. The palate is complex and textural, thanks to gentle skin contact with the Koshu grape, creating a remarkable three-dimensional mouthfeel. Château Mercian, Japan’s oldest winery, has been perfecting Koshu since 1870, when two brave young men were dispatched to France to learn how to make wine properly. Their descendants are still tending the vines today, keeping the story alive.

This isn’t a wine that shouts. It’s a wine that harmonises — like slurping ramen in a hillside noodle shop on a frosty night, where the warmth of the broth, the steam in the air, and the quiet depth of the wine all play their part. Understated, elegant, and deeply satisfying. 10.5% alc. Drink now - 2027.

Press Reviews (previous vintage):

JancisRobinson.com: “Skin-contact Koshu. The faintest tinge of pink. Satsuma, floral, dry rose petals and Darjeeling. Mesmerising. Hint of quince. I like the delicate skein of salty bitterness that runs through it like a fine line. It has damask texture. Ginger root. Grapefruit peel and nutmeg. Nori. Sesame seeds. For a skin-fermented wine, this is astoundingly gauzy. It has an exquisite ballet-dancer control. Strength tucked into fine, fine, fine control. (TC)” 17 points