Shiojiri Muscat Bailey A Mizunara 2016 is one of many good wines in Japan

Winemaking in Japan has a relatively short history compared to France or Italy.

However, there are many good wines in Japan.

“Shiojiri Muscat Bailey A Mizunara 2016” is one of them.

I highly recommend that wine, so I’d like to introduce its charm.

That wonderful wine is made in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. 

Shiojiri City is known as a good wine-producing region among wine lovers.

“Muscat Bailey A” is a variety of grape used for red wine.

It is an indigenous grape of Japan.

Today it is recognized as a representative grape of Japanese red wine.

When I brought the glass of wine close to my nose, I could smell a sweet aroma, like strawberry or cherry.

At that time, I had a feeling that the wine would taste fruity and delicious.

In addition, I could smell a faint aroma of vanilla. The identity of that aroma seemed to be Japanese oak called, Mizunara.

That wine was aged in a barrel, which was made of Mizunara.

I felt that the aroma of Mizunara was similar to vanilla. 

Mizunara is a precious gift from Japanese nature, and the barrel made of Mizunara is unique to Japan.

My general impression was that Shiojiri Muscat Bailey A Mizunara 2016 was a mild wine.

The gentle tannin in the wine might have made me feel that way.

On the other hand, it tasted like it was full of fruit.

It was a really smooth wine, so it must be liked by everyone.

It is said that red wine goes well with meat dishes in general.

But, with regard to the wine made from Muscat Bailey A, I don’t think so.

I think that such as wine goes well with fish dishes or plain food, like Japanese cuisine.