Akira Tanaka – Noto Wine (Ishikawa Prefecture)

Akira Tanaka manages Noto Wine on the Noto Peninsula, where maritime winds and granite-rich soils create a unique microclimate. Founded in the early 2000s, the winery has steadily transitioned toward organic and low-intervention methods under Tanaka’s leadership.
He cultivates Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, and several cold-hardy hybrids suited to the coastal environment. All grapes are hand-harvested, fermented with wild yeast, and bottled with minimal sulfur.
Tanaka’s wines reflect the sea air and rugged terrain of Noto—fresh, lightly saline, and quietly complex. He views natural winemaking as a form of local expression and environmental stewardship, reconnecting rural Japan to its agricultural heritage.