Château Mercian, Mariko Syrah, Nagano, Chubu, Japan 2021

The estate's Mariko Vineyard is named after Prince Mariko, son of Kinmei, the 29th Emperor of Japan. Located on the Jinba Plateau in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, the vineyard, cultivated by Mercian since 2003, sits at an altitude of 650m and features clay and rocky soils. Dried cranberry, white pepper and cedarwood on the nose lead to an Incredibly juicy palate, rich with blueberry and red cherry, caressed by a soft grip. Vanilla cream and gentle freshness on a riper, dark fruit-centric finish. An absolute delight. Aged in oak barrels for 18 months.