Nakazawa Vineyard
ナカザワヴィンヤード
A tiny 2.7-ha family vineyard making one of Japan's most coveted white blends — Kurisawa Blanc — from 15 varieties farmed with minimal intervention in cool-climate Hokkaido.
Nakazawa Vineyard was established in 2002 by Kazuyuki and Yukiko Nakazawa in the Kurisawa district of Iwamizawa, Hokkaido — two former office workers who made the leap to viticulture from scratch. On a gently south-facing 2.7-hectare plot they cultivate around 15 grape varieties including Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Kerner, Silvaner, and Pinot Noir, using organic inputs and wild-yeast fermentation to let the land speak. From 2002–2012 they entrusted their grapes to Coco Farm Winery in Tochigi, whose winemaking team produced the first incarnations of the celebrated Kurisawa Blanc. In 2013 they shifted entirely to 10R Winery — founded by Bruce Gutlove, Coco Farm's former head winemaker — located in the same Kurisawa township. In 2017 the Nakazawas co-founded Kurisawa Wines together with neighbouring grower KONDO Vineyard (Ryosuke and Takumi Kondo), creating a joint label that now stands as one of Hokkaido's most sought-after natural wine projects. Production is intentionally tiny; bottles are considered rare collector items.
nakazawavineyard.jp/ ↗Cuvées
Who Is This For?
Natural wine devotees, Hokkaido food-and-wine travellers, collectors seeking rare Japanese whites, and anyone who wants to taste the soul of Sorachi in a glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did the Nakazawas get into wine farming?
- Kazuyuki and Yukiko Nakazawa were office workers who decided to start fresh as farmers in 2002, choosing wine grapes as their crop and betting on the cool climate of Iwamizawa's Kurisawa district.
- What is the relationship between Nakazawa Vineyard and Kurisawa Wines?
- Kurisawa Wines is a joint label co-founded in 2017 by Nakazawa Vineyard and KONDO Vineyard. Each producer still grows their own grapes; the wines are made collaboratively and released under the shared Kurisawa Wines brand.
- Who makes the wine — do the Nakazawas have their own winery?
- No. From 2002–2012 their grapes were vinified at Coco Farm Winery in Tochigi. Since 2013 all wine is made at 10R Winery (Kurisawa), a custom-crush facility run by former Coco Farm winemaster Bruce Gutlove.
- How many grape varieties does Nakazawa Vineyard grow?
- Around 15 varieties on 2.7 hectares, including Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Kerner, Silvaner, Auxerrois, and Pinot Noir. All are blended into the single flagship wine, Kurisawa Blanc.
- Are the wines certified organic or natural?
- The vineyard uses organic inputs and avoids synthetic chemicals; fermentation relies on wild yeasts. The wines are naturally produced but not formally certified under any organic body.