About Okayama Wine Valley
- Founded
- 2018
- 8 years ago
- Location
- 新見市
- 岡山県
- Wines listed
- 3
- Main grapes
- Chardonnay
Okayama Wine Valley is a one-man winery run by Akiya Nonami in Tetta-cho, Niimi City, in the mountainous northwest of Okayama Prefecture. After being struck by the wines he tasted in Italy, Nonami left his IT career in Kawasaki, moved to Niimi in 2014, and in 2018 renovated a disused kindergarten at the foot of Mt. Aratoyama into a small winery and art gallery. The vineyards sit on a limestone karst plateau at 400-600m elevation, formed from an ancient seabed, giving mineral-rich, well-drained soil and cool temperatures well suited to fine winegrowing. Rather than the Japanese-native varieties common in the region, Nonami grows Italian grapes — Sangiovese and Nebbiolo for red, Chardonnay for white — tended on a small, walkable plot he describes as close enough to 'talk to the vines.' His winemaking follows a classical, minimal-intervention approach, choosing yeasts suited to each variety and aging in new French oak from the Tronçais forest. Wine labels are hand-designed by his partner Moe Kato, a lacquer artist, giving each cuvée a distinctive artisanal identity.
Who Is This For?
For drinkers curious about Japanese wine made from Sangiovese and Nebbiolo rather than native grapes, and anyone drawn to small-production, artisan-labeled wines with a strong sense of place.
Wines of Okayama Wine Valley
Location & Nearby
- Address
- 岡山県新見市哲多町田淵72View map ↗
- Founded
- 2018
Source: okayamawine.jp (checked Sep 2026)
The pin with the gold outline marks Okayama Wine Valley.
Nearby wineries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What grape varieties does Okayama Wine Valley grow?
- It grows Italian varieties — Sangiovese and Nebbiolo for red wines — and Chardonnay for white wines, an unusual choice in a region where native Japanese grapes are more common.
- Who runs Okayama Wine Valley?
- It is a one-man winery founded and run by Akiya Nonami, who moved from Kawasaki to Niimi City in 2014 after being inspired by wines he tasted in Italy, and opened the winery in 2018.
- Where is Okayama Wine Valley located?
- It is located in Tetta-cho, Niimi City, in the mountainous northwest of Okayama Prefecture, on a limestone karst plateau at 400-600m elevation formed from an ancient seabed.
- What makes Okayama Wine Valley's winemaking distinctive?
- Nonami follows a classical, minimal-intervention approach, ages wines in new French oak from the Tronçais forest, and has each label hand-designed by lacquer artist Moe Kato.