When we were in Mikasa, we couldn't help but be reminded of the Windows XP default wallpaper - picturesque rolling hills as far as the eye could see and a constant, gentle breeze blew across the land. Compared to the more famous Yoichi, Mikasa is further inland, which leads to large differences in day and nighttime temperatures. Because of this, the wines here have a freshness not always found even in Hokkaido, and long sunshine hours produce wines with ripeness you wouldn't typically expect from the region.