(TDB) - The case of a Japanese winemaking couple facing deportation from France has caused an outcry in the country.

Rie and Hirofumi Shoji (pictured) make a red wine from their 3.5 hectare vineyard near the pretty seaside town of Collioure near Banyuls in Roussillon.

Having lived in France legally since 2011, the pair trained in Burgundy for several years before being able to acquire their own domain in 2016. Remarkably, their early efforts have led to widespread acclaim and won them many enthusiastic supporters.

Called ‘Pedres Blanques’ (‘White Stones’ in Catalan) the wine is made ‘naturally’ using Grenache and the first vintage (the 2017) has already been picked up by numerous restaurants including the Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca over the border in Spain and Le Verre Volé in Paris.

Local wine shops are lucky to receive even a tiny allocation, small amounts have found their way to several other countries including the US and Denmark and 75% of the not-even-produced 2018 vintage has already been reserved according to reports.