About this wine
Vignerons Réserve Merlot is Villa d'Est's flagship red wine, made from 100% Merlot grown on the estate's own vineyards at 850 meters altitude in Tomi City, Nagano. The high-altitude, cool-climate site gives the grapes pronounced acidity and clarity of fruit compared to Merlot from Japan's other famous production areas such as Shiojiri and Kikyogahara. The grapes undergo skin-contact maceration fermentation (kamoshi) in French oak vats, followed by roughly 18 months of aging in French oak barrels, producing a full-bodied wine with elegant dark fruit, subtle spice, and a soft yet structured tannin backbone.
A great introduction to premium Japanese Merlot — full-bodied but with soft, approachable tannins.
Sommelier's Note
"Villa d'Est's flagship Merlot proves that Nagano's high-altitude terroir can rival Japan's classic Merlot regions — this is the benchmark bottle for serious Japanese red wine."
Food Pairings
A natural match for red meats — roast lamb, grilled beef, and steak — as well as aged cheeses and earthy mushroom dishes that echo its spice and depth.
When to drink it
Special dinners, anniversaries, and gifts for wine enthusiasts.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Merlot
- Style
- Red
- Price Range
- ¥5,200-6,200
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Merlot, hand-harvested from estate vineyards at 850m altitude. Fermented with skin-contact maceration (kamoshi) in French oak vats, then aged approximately 18 months in French oak barrels before bottling.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape variety is used in Vignerons Réserve Merlot?
- It is made from 100% Merlot grown on Villa d'Est's own estate vineyards in Tomi City, Nagano.
- What does it taste like?
- Full-bodied with elegant dark fruit and subtle spice from French oak aging, backed by soft yet firm tannins and bright acidity from the high-altitude vineyard.
- What food pairs best with this wine?
- Red meats like roast lamb and grilled beef, aged cheeses, and umami-rich Japanese dishes such as sukiyaki or grilled eel.
- How is it made?
- The Merlot undergoes skin-contact maceration fermentation in French oak vats, then ages about 18 months in French oak barrels before bottling.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
ヴィニュロンズ・リザーブ・シャルドネ
Villa d'Est Vignerons Réserve Chardonnay
WhiteChardonnay
Villa d'Est Vignerons Réserve Chardonnay is the flagship white wine of Villa d'Est Winery in Tomi City, Nagano, made from 100% Chardonnay grown in the estate's own vineyards at 850 meters altitude. Only the finest grapes are selected, barrel-fermented in French oak, and aged sur lie for approximately 7 months, yielding a wine with rich fruit character, moderate oak influence, and refined, cool-climate acidity. It is a limited-production cuvée (roughly 3,000-4,500 bottles depending on vintage) that has represented Japan on the world stage: the 2005 vintage was served at the 2008 Hokkaido Toya-ko G8 Summit, and the 2014 vintage at the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit. The 2019 vintage won a bronze medal at Japan Wine Challenge 2021, and renowned sommelier Paolo Basso has compared the wine favorably to fine white Burgundy.
タザワメルロー
Villa d'Est Tazawa Merlot
RedMerlot
Villa d'Est Tazawa Merlot is a single-vineyard Merlot from the Tazawa plot, a 0.7-hectare parcel of gravelly topsoil within Villa d'Est's 850-meter-altitude estate in Tomi City, Nagano. Farmed without synthetic pesticides since 2006 and fermented with indigenous wild yeast using extended skin-contact (kamoshi) maceration in oak vessels, the wine is then aged for roughly a year and a half in oak barrels. The result is an elegant, floral Merlot with notes of red and dark cherry, plum, and gentle spice, balanced by fresh acidity and refined, silky tannins — a benchmark expression of cool-climate Japanese Merlot.