We were so enchanted when we first tried Domaine Nakajima’s Cabernet Franc, at the legendary La Pioche wine bar in Tokyo a few years ago, that we knew we absolutely had to find a way to work with him. Last year we saw that wish fulfilled after an amazing visit to meet Nakajima-san at his domaine.

When he was first introduced to wine, Nakajima-san was a student in culinary school. He became enamoured with natural wine and began dreaming about making his own one day. To gain practical experience, he worked at Les Bois Lucas in the Loire Valley (France), Huber in Baden (Germany), and Coco Farm in Japan. Finally, in 2011, he committed himself to planting a vineyard in the Tomi area of Nagano Prefecture. His small winery was set up in 2014 and, thus, Domaine Nakajima was born.

Domaine Nakajima’s vineyards are beautifully situated on a south-facing hillside. The vine training method is quite unusual: the vines have spur pruning on multiple heads, like a bush vine, but they are mostly trellised. Some vines are also grown on single stakes. Nakajima-san’s first plantings were Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. He also experimented with Gamay but quickly learned that it wasn’t suitable to grow there. Recently, he planted some Pinot Gris too, and aspires to grow Savagnin, Ploussard and Trousseau on some new land that he has acquired.

Nakajima-san may be a purist in his approach to wine growing and winemaking, but he’s decidedly pragmatic in how he manages his young estate. While he patiently waits for more of his estate-owned vines to grow to maturity, he makes refreshing pét-nat sparkling wines from Kyoho grapes, a local table grape variety, to sustain his day-to-day operations. However, even “casual” wines cannot obscure Nakajima-san’s special touch: his pét nats have quickly gained in popularity and have become some of the most beloved local examples of the genre.

As earnest and down-to-earth as Nakajima-san may be, his wines — not least due to their allure, delicate finesse and rarity — are destined to be cult favourites. We believe that the best time to follow a star is as it begins its ascent. For Domaine Nakajima, that time is surely now.

This offer is valid until 11 August 2020. Orders will be processed subject to remaining availability and final written confirmation. Limited quantities mean allocation rules will apply. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice is sent in order to confirm the purchase. All terms and conditions apply.