Domaine Takahiko, Hokkaido

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Founded in 2010, Domaine Takahiko is a speck of 4.6 hectares of Pinot Noir located in Yoichi Nobori, Hokkaido. Brainchild of Takahiko Soga, owner and winemaker, the winery has become undisputed master of Japanese Pinot Noir in just over a decade. Cherished by wine lovers for its unique take on Pinot Noir, the winery is something of a phantom, flying under the radar of mainstream media (or at least, until recently).

In the cellar as in the vineyard, Takahiko shows a characteristically Japanese meticulousness, working with precision, and always in harmony with the seasons. “I wish to be a winemaker who produces wine as quietly as possible, a craftsman with his own philosophy,” he muses. At Domaine Takahiko, Pinot Noir is grown organically using a unique method based on the trellis system prepared in Champagne but adapted for the cold climate of Yoichi. Handpicked grapes, 40-day maceration in vats, with 95% whole bunches fermented by indigenous yeasts. Matured for one year in used French oak barrels, with an additional 5% matured in new oak barrels. Traditional bottling via gravity, without fining or filtration and little to no sulphur added. Soga prioritizes umami, and respects delicate and complex forest-like aromas over fruitiness. His goal is to express to the world something similar to that of quality dashi, which is delicate yet deep, broad and lingering, and which beautifully expresses the four seasons of Japanese. “The word ‘mineral’ itself is difficult for us Japanese to understand, but ‘umami’ is easy,” Soga says.

Takahiko Soga was born in 1972 as the second son to a Japanese winery owner. He followed his father’s advice and studied microbiology in Tokyo University of Agriculture, following which he was invited by a professor of the university to join their research lab. But his desire to pursue winemaking led him to Coco Farm Winery, an estate located one hour north of Tokyo, where he stayed for 10 years, culminating in the role of cellar master. During that period he enhanced his learning with travels around Japan and the world, and one meeting in particular was pivotal – his encounter with the Jura master Pierre Overnoy. Impressed and touched by the purity of the wines, he returned to Japan intent on finding and founding his own estate. This journey led him to Hokkaido, the northern island of the Japanese peninsula.

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