About Goichi Shiojiri Merlot
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Merlot
- Price Range
- ¥1,600-1,900
- Alcohol
- 12%
Goichi Shiojiri Merlot is Hayashi Farm's standard-tier red wine, made from 100% Merlot grapes grown across the Shiojiri area of Nagano Prefecture, combining fruit from the winery's own vineyards with grapes from local contract growers. As the everyday counterpart to the winery's flagship Estate Goichi Merlot, it is aged in French oak barrels, which round out the wine's fruit character. It shows a bright ruby color with aromas of raspberry, strawberry, and cherry, gentle tannins, and a medium body — an approachable, food-friendly style rather than the firm, concentrated structure of the estate bottling.
This is the wine that proves Japanese Merlot doesn't have to be expensive to be genuine — a true taste of Kikyogahara terroir at a daily-drinking price.
New to wine?
One of the most approachable ways to try Japanese Merlot — soft tannins, medium body, and a gentle price make it an easy first bottle before moving up to Hayashi Farm's more structured estate wines.
Food Pairings
A versatile everyday red that pairs well with hamburg steak, yakiniku, and simmered root vegetable dishes. Its gentle tannins and soft acidity also make it a comfortable match for many Japanese home-cooking staples.
When to drink it
Casual weeknight dinners, everyday meals with grilled or simmered dishes, and gifting as an accessible taste of Japan's Merlot heartland.
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Merlot sourced from Hayashi Farm's own vineyards and contract growers across the Shiojiri area, Nagano. Aged in French oak barrels. ABV approximately 12%. Released as a new vintage each year (e.g. the 2024 vintage is the current release); recommended serving temperature around 16-18°C.
About the producer
Hayashi FarmPioneer of Merlot cultivation in Japan's Kikyogahara since 1951, with over 110 years of winemaking history and international award-winning wines including the famous Kikyogahara Merlot.塩尻市, 長野県 · Founded 1919Visit the producer page →More wines from Hayashi Farm
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Goichi Shiojiri Merlot taste like?
- It has a bright ruby color with delicate aromas of raspberry, strawberry, and cherry, softened tannins, and a rounded, medium-bodied palate shaped by French oak aging.
- What food pairs best with this wine?
- Its gentle tannins and soft acidity make it a great match for hamburg steak, yakiniku, and simmered root vegetable dishes, as well as many Japanese home-cooked meals.
- How is it different from Hayashi Farm's Estate Goichi Merlot?
- Shiojiri Merlot is the winery's standard-tier bottling, blending estate and contract-grower fruit from across Shiojiri, while Estate Goichi Merlot is a 100% estate-grown, longer-aged, fuller-bodied flagship wine at a higher price point.
- Is this a good wine for beginners?
- Yes — its soft tannins, medium body, and accessible price make it one of the easiest ways to try Japan's celebrated Kikyogahara Merlot style for the first time.
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