Eishi Okamoto

Eishi Okamoto, a former archaeologist has been cultivating since 1999 his intimate 3-hectare estate, Beau Paysage, in Japan’s upper Yamanashi valley. The name, meaning “beautiful landscape” in French, reflects his admiration for this wine-producing region, with Mount Fuji rising in the background as he tends to his vines. Eishi's wines have reached such an exceptional level of quality that they are sold before production, and rare exports—like the mere 36 bottles allotted to France per cuvée—are quickly claimed. Dedicated to natural cultivation, he refrains from ploughing to preserve the soil's microbial life, despite contending with a challenging hot, humid climate. Trained by the late Asai Usuke, Japan’s iconic winemaker, Eishi has inherited a profound respect for tradition and precision, turning his craft into an almost ceremonial practice. For those fortunate enough to taste his wines, it’s not a mere experience of curiosity but one to be approached with solemnity, as each sip is rare and may never be repeated.