Kurisawa
栗沢
Cool-climate Pinot Noir and mineral whites from Hokkaido's Burgundy-latitude hills
Kurisawa is a district within Iwamizawa City in Hokkaido's Sorachi sub-region, situated on gently rolling hills about 50 km northeast of Sapporo at roughly 43°N latitude — the same parallel as Burgundy. The area's continental climate brings cold winters with deep snowfall that protects vine roots, hot summers with significant diurnal temperature swings that build aromatic complexity and natural acidity, and low humidity that suppresses disease pressure. Soils are clay-dominant and mildly acidic — former sea-floor terrain rich in minerals. Kurisawa is home to 10R Winery (founded 2012 by American winemaker Bruce Gutlove), which operates as Hokkaido's premier custom-crush facility and has trained a generation of local vignerons. Nakazawa Vineyard, on a south-facing 2.7-hectare slope along a local farm road, grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and aromatic whites. KONDO Vineyard cultivates a distinctive mixed-variety block including Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, Riesling, Kerner, Gewürztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc. The area gives its name to the flagship wines released under the 'Kamihoro' and 'Kurisawa' labels by 10R and its partner producers, celebrated for their translucent clarity, mineral precision, and cool-climate elegance.
Best for: Wine lovers seeking elegant, terroir-driven Japanese wine — especially fans of cool-climate Pinot Noir, aromatic whites, and field blends from a small-producer artisan community.
No sub-regions registered yet.
Producers
栗澤ワインズ
Kurisawa Wines
Kurisawa Wines (栗澤ワインズ) is a joint winery in the Kurisawa district of Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, co-founded in 2017 by two neighbouring farming families: Kazuyuki and Yukiko Nakazawa of Nakazawa Vineyard, and brothers Ryosuke and Takumi Kondo of KONDO Vineyard. Before founding the winery, both families had independently vinified their grapes — first at Coco Farm Winery in Tochigi (Nakazawa, 2002–2012), then at 10R Winery in the same Kurisawa township (Nakazawa from 2013; Kondo from 2012–2016) — giving Kurisawa Wines the benefit of over a decade of viticultural experience before its first harvest under its own roof. The shared facility enables each grower to produce wines under their own vineyard label as well as collaborative bottlings. The philosophy across all labels is minimal-intervention: indigenous yeast fermentation, no fining or filtration, and little or no added sulphites. KONDO Vineyard additionally employs horse-drawn cultivation and ancient Georgian qvevri (clay vessels buried underground) for fermentation and ageing. Kurisawa Wines is widely regarded as one of the most important natural wine producers in Japan.
Explore →
nakazawavineyard.jp/ナカザワヴィンヤード
Nakazawa Vineyard
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.
Explore →
nakazawavineyard.jp/
Food Pairings
Kamihoro Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with Hokkaido lamb (Genghis Khan), venison, and earthy mountain vegetables. Aromatic whites — Kerner, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris — shine alongside smoked Hokkaido salmon, scallop carpaccio, and soft local cheese. Field-blend whites complement white asparagus, butter-poached seafood, and delicate miso-based soups.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Kurisawa, and how does it relate to Iwamizawa and Sorachi?
- Kurisawa is a district within Iwamizawa City, itself part of Hokkaido's broader Sorachi wine sub-region. Think of it as a village-level appellation: Sorachi is the wider territory, Iwamizawa is its leading city, and Kurisawa is the specific hillside district where the highest concentration of premium vineyards and 10R Winery are located.
- What grape varieties are grown in Kurisawa?
- Pinot Noir is the flagship red, celebrated for its translucent color, silky texture, and mineral backbone. Key whites include Kerner, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Auxerrois, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Several producers grow multiple varieties in mixed-planting field blends to capture the full terroir character rather than single-variety expression.
- What is 10R Winery and why does it matter?
- 10R Winery (pronounced 'To-R'), founded in 2012 by American winemaker Bruce Gutlove, is Hokkaido's premier custom-crush facility. It vinifies grapes for small growers who lack their own cellars, and releases its own wines under the 'Kamihoro' label. 10R has been the incubator for Kurisawa's winemaking community, training Nakazawa Vineyard, KONDO Vineyard, and others.
- What does 'Kamihoro' on the label mean?
- Kamihoro (上幌) is the specific address within Kurisawa where 10R Winery is located — 1123-10 Kamihoro, Kurisawacho, Iwamizawa. When Bruce Gutlove releases wines from his own vineyard or contracted Hokkaido farms, they appear under the 'Kamihoro Wine' label, distinguishing them from wines made for other growers at the custom-crush facility.
- Are Kurisawa wines easy to find?
- Kurisawa wines are rare — most producers make fewer than 10,000 bottles per year, and sought-after labels like Nakazawa Vineyard and KONDO Vineyard sell out within days of release. The best ways to obtain them are to register directly with producers, visit the Sorachi Wine Station in Iwamizawa, or seek out specialist Japanese wine shops in Sapporo or Tokyo.