Domaine Nakajima

Nestled in the mountains of Tomi, Nagano, Domaine Nakajima is the small-scale project of winemaker Yutaka Nakajima, whose approach is deeply rooted in simplicity, craftsmanship and working closely with nature.

Since moving to Tomi in 2009, Nakajima has cultivated a small vineyard at around 850m altitude, where French varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot grow alongside the region’s native flora. In 2019, he added Jura-inspired varieties including Savagnin and Pinot Noir, drawn to the area’s cool climate and mountain conditions.

His wines are made with a distinctly hands-on approach, using simple, self-made tools and minimal intervention in the cellar. One of his most distinctive cuvées is a pétillant rosé made from Kyoho, a large-berried Japanese table grape. The grapes are dried for almost two weeks before being pressed without skin contact, then fermented in bottle with no added sulphur or other ingredients.

Producing only a few thousand bottles a year, Domaine Nakajima’s wines are a quietly expressive reflection of their high-altitude home — pure, individual and unmistakably Japanese.