Yoshitada Katsuki – Katsuki Wines (Aya, Miyazaki)

Yoshitada Katsuki produces small-batch natural wines from the volcanic mountains of Aya, in Miyazaki Prefecture. After spending more than a decade working in New Zealand and Germany, he returned to his hometown to farm organically on one hectare of land surrounded by forest.
Katsuki’s vineyards are pesticide-free and manually cultivated, with diverse plantings adapted to Japan’s humid subtropical climate. His winemaking is low-intervention, using wild yeast, minimal sulfur, and gentle extraction. Each vintage is unique, with blends determined by the year’s natural conditions rather than fixed recipes.
Despite challenging weather, Katsuki’s wines have become sought after for their clarity, texture, and honesty. He views his project as both a personal expression and a way to connect local communities through sustainable viticulture.

Winemaking Philosophy and Practices

Katsuki's winemaking is deeply rooted in natural production methods and a community-based approach.

  • Natural Farming: He employs natural farming by completely forgoing the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, preservatives, or other additives in the vineyard and cellar. His dedication began in 2013when he started his attempt at sustainable grape cultivation. The initial wines released in 2018 were referred to as "miracle wine" because the region was said to be unsuitable for winemaking.

  • Minimal Intervention: In the cellar, all processes are carried out entirely by hand, including harvesting, crushing, pressing, racking, and bottling. Fermentation utilizes only wild yeast. He generally avoids the use of sulfites and stabilizers, and employs gravity instead of filters to clarify the wine.

  • Philosophy of Diversity: Katsuki's winemaking philosophy is centered on "diversity." He grows a variety of grape types with different characteristics and blends them together, which he views as a way to allow for new possibilities in wine and to represent diversity.

  • Community Focus: He was inspired to return to Miyazaki after working in Germany and seeing families making and selling wine together, closely connected to the local community. His goal is to share the excitement of winemaking and promote organic agriculture among the next generation.

Background and Winery Details

  • Background: Originally from Miyazaki City, Katsuki moved to Marlborough, New Zealand, at age 25, where he worked at a winery for a period. He also worked in a family-run German winery before returning to Miyazaki in 2013.

  • Location: The winery is in Aya Town, which is nationally known as the birthplace of organic farming, with the entire town engaging in organic agriculture.

  • Grapes: He inherited a 0.5-hectare vineyard from his parents and began his sustainable grape production there. He grows a diverse lineup of varieties, reportedly growing around 40 different kinds of grapes on his land, which measures 1 hectare under direct cultivation.

Example Wines and Grape Varieties

Katsuki Wines produces a range of wines, often as blends:

  • Aya Rouge: A red wine that has been crafted from up to 15 varieties of grapes, with the 2021 vintage being a blend of Merlot, Fujiminori, Regent, and assorted other grape types.

  • Aya Blanc: A white wine, such as the 2022 vintage, which combined Chardonnay, Aki Queen, and Shine Muscat grapes.

  • Aya Topia: A white wine. The 2023 vintage was a blend of Kyoho, Niagara, and Portland. Other varieties grown include Cabernet Sauvignon.