For example, “Shinshu Salmon” the new trout farmed in Nagano Prefecture, is a perfect match for Shiojiri Merlot Rose that has juicy aroma and fresh acidity. The meat of “Shinshu Salmon” is delicate and fine and its fat is smooth. It has a rich taste incomparable with the real farmed salmon. Meanwhile Shiojiri Merlot Rose has fine acidity, a hint of spiciness and a pleasant bitterness derived from tannin, which harmonize excellently with the delicious taste of its ingredients and create a rich long-lasting finish. “Shinshu Salmon”, whether prepared as meuniere, carpaccio accented with pink peppers, or sashimi served with Japanese Shiso herb and salt, goes beautifully well with Shiojiri Merlot Rose.

Shiojiri Merlot is paired well with grilled eel glazed with a sweetened soy sauce-based sauce, a local delicacy in Okaya (a local town with a lake relatively close to Shiojiri Winery). Actually, eel is also consumed a lot in Bordeaux in France where it is called Anguille. (In France, eel is often cut into chunks and stewed with red wine.) The mild and tender fruit-based texture of Merlot goes well with the soft and melting texture of eel, and the delicious smell of the sweetened soy sauce of grilled eel perfectly matches Shiojiri Merlot’s sweet flavor of vanilla from the oak it is aged in.

Iwadarehara Merlot with a complex palette goes well with gibier, such as boar and deer captured in Nagano Prefecture. Merlot harvested in this special area has a high density as well as earthy and smoky characters. Another local ingredient that makes a great wine and food paring is Shinshu Miso. The miso, a fermented seasoning, has subtle earthy characteristics that bring out the flavors of gibier and enhance the savory qualities of both the wine and the food. Hot pot dishes, like Botan Nabe (or boar hotpot), that use meat, various vegetables and mushrooms also match superbly with the complex characters of Iwadarehara Merlot, creating complex flavors and textures.

Now I hope you can see that wines produced by Shiojiri Winery, which can also be enjoyed by themselves, provide a truly palate-pleasing experience when combined with local dishes. Please enjoy the exquisite food culture provided by the wines while imagining the scenery of the region they come from.