"Free-spirited talent"

In 2022, his long-cherished dream of establishing Nara's first winery was finally realized!

He is a free-spirited winemaker who uses his creativity to produce interesting wines which stand out from the crowd. 

His inspiration and foundation to become a winemaker came from his years in consulting. Whilst consulting for a Winery, he became knowledgeable on the subject and ended up finding his dream job on the job!

While there are grape-producing regions in Nara, they are not as large-scale as other regions, and crucially, there are no wineries for wine production. 

He is developing vineyards in Nara Prefecture, gradually increasing production, and also leasing existing vineyards in Osaka for grape cultivation. He places great importance on the quality of the grapes used as raw materials, cultivating them without the use of herbicides, reducing pesticides, and avoiding chemical fertilizers.

From exploring grape varieties and cultivation methods that represent the climate and culture of Nara, he is committed to trial and error in order to offer a wine that embodies the essence of Nara. 

In order to practice winemaking whilst his vines mature, Kitani purchases grapes from many different regions in Japan such as Hokkaido, Mie, Osaka etc. 

Some say his wines are outperforming in the regions where the grapes were purchased. A true talent!