小諸ワイナリー

Much like a European winery with a château surrounded by gardens at the center of its vineyards, Komoro Winery has Bansuien, a Japanese garden of roughly 10,000 square meters designed to evoke the natural character of Shinshu. Visitors are free to stroll through it. Beneath the garden lies a cellar, while the grounds themselves contain numerous points of interest. A tea house opened only for special events, for example, was built over three years by shrine-and-temple carpenters and showcases their craftsmanship in details such as its beautifully curved beams. Grape-pattern paving stones encountered along the paths are hand-carved from fine Sanshu roof tiles made in Aichi Prefecture. Among the trees stands a massive stone monument engraved with “Autumn Song” by Meiji-era literary figure Toson Shimazaki, who lived in Komoro for seven years.

Descend the dignified staircase in one corner of Bansuien Japanese Garden and an underground cellar opens below. It is normally closed to the public, but each year during Komoro Winery’s harvest festival it is opened for a paid tasting of the Solaris series.

At the Komoro Winery shop, visitors are offered the opportunity to taste as many different wines as possible so they can make a purchase with confidence.