Mitsuko's Vineyard Merlot is an elegant and well-balanced wine made from grapes grown in a cool climate. Mitsuko's Vineyard Merlot is an elegant and well-balanced wine made from grapes grown in a cool climate. It has a deep red-purple color. It has a rich aroma of plum, black licorice, and anise, and in the mouth it is full-bodied and deep, with plenty of flavors of dark fruits such as black currant, wild rose, and plum. The fresh acidity gives the taste a balanced and fresh impression. As the wine opens up, complex nuances such as laurel, clove, and cedar emerge. The juicy taste of this wine is full of fruitiness and is beautifully held together by fine-grained tannins. You can drink it now, but if you store it in the cellar, it can be aged for a long time of 10 years. In 1955, Ian Schramm, a student at the University of California, visited Japan on vacation and fell in love with a woman named Mitsuko. He launched a translation publishing company in Japan and became very successful, then married Mitsuko and sold the company. They almost ran away to Europe and learned about her beloved winemaking. After that, he traveled around the world to set up a winery and found Napa Valley in California. In 1984, he established his long-awaited winery. He practices the "Clopegas Style" of winemaking, which avoids strong barrel flavors, high alcohol, and overly concentrated flavors, and is food-friendly, has plenty of fruitiness, and is elegant. Mitsuko's Vineyard, named after his wife, is located in the cool Carneros and produces elegant wines. All of the wines, including the flagship wine "Homage," are produced from grapes grown on the winery's own 450 acres. At the winery, you can also participate in tastings and picnic tours on the patio, making it a very popular spot in Napa that attracts many visitors.