Freeman Vineyards & Winery was founded in 2001 by Ken Freeman and his wife Akiko, who is from Roppongi. 15 years ago, when the two had just met, they hit it off as both lovers of elegant and sophisticated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and dreamed of one day making wine in California with the complex flavor and power to attract drinkers like Burgundy. In order to establish a winery that could rival the world, they began to inspect over 300 vineyards and growers, focusing on vineyards planted on cool, gentle slopes. As a result, they chose the Sonoma Valley production area, which is covered in fog and influenced by the cold sea breeze that blows inland from the coast. The grapes grown there mature slowly, retaining fresh acidity, and growing very pure and rich in flavor. When Freeman was founded in the 2000s, California was in the midst of a boom in the production and consumption of fruit-rich wines, but they were not influenced by such trends and stuck to their belief of brewing balanced and elegant wines based on organic farming. As a result, Freeman's wine style has attracted attention not only in California but also around the world, and has been adopted by famous restaurants around the world, growing into a small but well-known brand. In April 2015, the 2013 vintage of Ryofu Chardonnay was served at the White House official dinner hosted by former President Barack Obama, who invited Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and it suddenly became a spotlight. As of 2019, Akiko is the only Japanese female winemaker who owns a winery and vineyards in California, and continues to produce modest, sharp, high-quality wines.