Many of Nagano's vineyards sit above 500 metres in this mountainous inland region. About 1,000 mm of annual rainfall, long daylight during the growing season and large day-night temperature shifts help European varieties ripen. The whites tend to keep fresh acidity, while reds are often deeply coloured, concentrated and tannic.
Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are widely planted, alongside American varieties such as Niagara and Concord. Nagano Merlot ranges from light to full-bodied, with fruit and relatively soft tannins. Chardonnay is usually dry and broad in flavour; Sauvignon Blanc is dry, crisp and unoaked. Concord is commonly sweet or semi-sweet, light to medium-bodied and strongly aromatic.
Nagano was classified into four wine valleys in 2013: Kikyogahara, Chikumagawa, Japan Alps and Tenryugawa. Kikyogahara has gently sloping terraces and volcanic-ash soils, and is known for Merlot. In Chikumagawa, the grape mix changes with altitude. GI Nagano requires grapes harvested in Nagano and production there through bottling.
Inside the region
1 named area
Each guide keeps its place within Nagano clear, with a direct route back to the map.