Domaine Takahiko Yoichi Nobori 2015 750ml

Domaine Takahiko Yoichi Nobori 2015

Domaine Takahiko is the Yoichi estate of Takahiko Soga, second son of the family behind Obuse Winery in Nagano. After studying fermentation science at Tokyo University of Agriculture he worked at Coco Farm & Winery from 1998, moved to Yoichi in 2002 as its vineyard manager, and founded his own domaine in the Nobori district in 2010. Grapes are fermented as whole clusters with wild yeast in a small cellar.

Yoichi Nobori is Takahiko Soga's Passetoutgrain, a blend of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt from the Aihara vineyard in Nobori. Because the grapes are bought rather than estate-grown, it is labelled "Takahiko Soga" instead of Domaine Takahiko. It is made like the estate wines: whole cluster, wild yeast, and about 12 months in old barrels, without added sulphites.

In 2015 a typhoon about two weeks before harvest brought noble rot; strict sorting reduced the yield but kept the quality high. About 4,500 bottles were made.

Producer: Takahiko Soga (Domaine Takahiko)
Vintage: 2015
Type: Red
Grapes: Pinot Noir 70%, Zweigelt 30%
Region: Nobori, Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan
Volume: 750ml