［Food & Beverages domain］
The only Japanese Winery for this brilliant achievement, “Château Mercian Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2019” Wins Gold at the International Wine Challenge 2021!
A total of 12 "Château Mercian" wines were awarded
- Products and Services
May 28, 2021
Mercian Corporation
Château Mercian Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2019 from Mercian Corporation (President: Michio Nagabayashi) was the only Japanese wine to win Gold at the International Wine Challenge 2021, held Wed 14 - Tue 27 April 2021 in London, England. It was also the first time in the competition's history that a producing region other than world-renowned orange wine producer Georgia won a Gold medal in the Orange Wine category.
Six other Château Mercian wines won Silver medals, including the Icon Series Château Mercian Hokushin Left Bank Chardonnay Rivalis 2019. The company also won five Bronze medals, including the Terroir Series Château Mercian Mariko Chardonnay 2019, bringing their total to 12.
One of Japan's leading wineries, Château Mercian produces wines of exquisite quality. They are committed to communicating this quality in Japan and globally in order to increase brand recognition and contribute to the development of the Japanese wine industry.
The International Wine Challenge
The International Wine Challenge (IWC) started in 1984, making it one of the oldest and most authoritative global wine and sake competitions.
Judging is by blind tasting, with wine labels completely concealed, and rigorous selection across repeated tastings by experienced judges before final assessment.
Characteristics of International Wine Challenge 2021 Gold Award Winner Château Mercian Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2019 (White)
This wine has a sweet aroma like apple compote and lots of volume on the palate. Its flavour expresses the essence of the skins of the Japanese indigenous grape variety Koshu. Koshu comes from the Fuefuki District in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is also becoming increasingly popular as "orange wine," which is made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, resulting in a colour similar to orange.
True to our wine business slogan of “Creating a pleasant future with wine,” Mercian Corporation will continue to offer wines that bring people together to enjoy each other’s company and spend quality time.
Summary of Awards
◆ Contest Name: International Wine Challenge 2021*
◆ Location: London, UK
◆ Judging: Wed 14 - Tue 27 April 2021
◆ Results announced: Tue 18 May 2021
◆ Award-Winning Mercian Corporation Wines
Gold Award: 1 wine
• Château Mercian Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2019 (White)
Silver Award: 6 wines
• Château Mercian Hokushin Chardonnay Unwooded 2019 (White)
• Château Mercian Hokushin Left Bank Chardonnay Rivalis 2019 (White)
• Château Mercian Hokushin Right Bank Chardonnay Rivalis 2019 (White)
• Château Mercian Iwade Koshu Kiiroka Cuvée Ueno Tank No.R133 2019 (White)
• Château Mercian Mariko Omnis 2016 (Red)
• Château Mercian Niitsuru Chardonnay 2019 (White)
Bronze Award: 5 wines
• Château Mercian Hosaka Muscat Bailey A
Single Vineyard Grower Mr Inomata 2018 (Red)
• Château Mercian Hosaka Muscat Bailey A
Single Vineyard Grower Mr Yokouchi 2018 (Red)
• Château Mercian Mariko Chardonnay 2019（White）
• Château Mercian Mariko Syrah 2017 (Red)
• Château Mercian Yamanashi Koshu 2019 (White)
About Kirin Holdings
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.
Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.
Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV*, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.
* Creating Shared Value: combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.