Takahiko Soga: The Umami Pursuit

And I love the mystery surrounding the Domaine Takahiko wines. They’re nearly impossible to find (I recently wrote to two European distributors whose contact I got directly from Takahiko’s office; sold out hopelessly, and no further allocations available). I only drank it once before, with some friends in France. It was Nana-Tsu-Mori 2022. A refined Pinot Noir, still very young. I remember strong notes of undergrowth and being very impressed, which may or may not be linked to my obsession with this winemaker and his almost mythical status.

But even if fanboying was at play, isn’t it nice to admire someone so much that you put in enough energy to involve half a dozen people from Canada to Japan and all the way to Texas and back to Europe? Because that’s exactly what happened here. Takahiko-san only speaks Japanese, and when I contacted his office asking for an interview, many months ago, his assistant brushed me off. Undeterred, I tried through my dear Japanese importer Lulie Cross, who knows a certain Masahiro Chiku, a wine enthusiast who works with our wines at the Cave de Bambou in Niseko, and who happens knows Takahiko as well. He translated my questions for him, but, when the answers came back after months of patient waiting, he struggled with translating them from Japanese into English.

Which is where Ioanna Morelli, a Canadian-born, Japanese-based culinary event & travel organiser who also runs Gyu+, the most famous bar in the Niseko area in Hokkaido, comes into this collaborative effort. Ioanna edited and checked the AI translation, and she was also the one who connected us with the American photographer Michael Magers, her good friend (and fan of our wines, isn’t it wonderful how the dots sometimes connect) from Texas, who has generously let us use some of the images he took during his recent visit of the Domaine Takahiko, for Niseko Food & Wine, an event Ioanna is launching in 2025.

Shout out to all these incredibly kind people for going above and beyond. I got so much joy from both the process and the result thanks to you guys – sometimes it takes a (global) village to get to your idols but it’s so worth the effort!

Words by Milan Nestarec, translation by Masahiro Chiku & Ioanna Morelli, photos courtesy of Michael Magers

You spent your childhood and learned winemaking with your father and family in Nagano. How do you remember those times? What did that experience give you for life, what’s the most important thing you've learned?

During my childhood, the Japanese wine industry rarely produced wines from wine-specific grape varieties. Instead, it was an era when table grapes, primarily intended for eating, were the main “winemaking material”. The goal of wine production at the time was to create souvenirs for the region's visitors, relying more on cellar techniques than on the quality of the grapes.

Small-scale wineries couldn’t sustain themselves solely through wine production, so they cultivated and sold rice, vegetables, and fruits alongside alcohol production to make ends meet. As a child, I came to understand how difficult it was to survive in the wine industry and how challenging it was to sell wine. During that time, I often went to the fields with my grandparents who were engaged in farm work, and those vineyards became my playground.

This experience cultivated my sensitivity to understanding nature, which has a profound influence on my current winemaking approach.

I’m really curious about your work with Bruce Gutlove at Coco Farm & Winery in Ashikaga. What did you learn there? And where did it take you?

At Coco Farm, I was hired as a farm manager, so I didn’t learn much about winemaking itself. Among the so-called “Bruce’s children,” I might be the one who walked a different path. Graduates who learned from Bruce are very diligent about tank sanitation, but in my 10 years at Coco Farm, I never even focused on sanitation. So, what did I learn from Bruce? From the perspective of a viticulturist and winemaker—not that of a sommelier—I learned to seriously taste wines that were popular or considered delicious worldwide, as well as wines we could use as references for our own winemaking.

To facilitate learning, Bruce collected information from global blogs, chats, and wine magazines. He organized weekly tasting sessions from 5 PM to 8 PM. These tastings included many wines Bruce had collected since his student days. Significant amounts of money (covered by the company) were spent to conduct blind tastings. We discussed, “Why is this wine the way it is?” and worked tirelessly to discover the direction we wanted to take and what we wanted to create.

This effort formed the foundation of my winemaking philosophy. I believe that Bruce, too, was searching for an unseen future through these tastings, together with us. Neither Bruce nor I studied viticulture at university, despite studying winemaking. Bruce and I also learned viticulture from Richard Smart, an Australian expert. This collaboration profoundly enriched my understanding of viticulture, tailored to Japan’s unique conditions.

What was the turning point for your shift to making natural wine? Do you remember a crucial encounter or moment that “opened your eyes”?

In the early 2000s, natural wine and biodynamic farming became a hot topic among young winemakers. The pivotal moment was attending a biodynamic seminar by Nicolas Joly in Japan. Around the same time, Masanobu Fukuoka’s philosophies influenced many young people, including me, shifting my focus towards natural winemaking. A significant experience was a trip that Bruce organised in 2004 to visit natural wine pioneers in France’s Loire Valley, including Marc Angeli and Thierry Puzelat, which profoundly deepened my commitment to natural wine. Tasting Pierre Overnoy’s Ploussard during a Coco Farm tasting further solidified this path.

How did you find a place in Yoichi? How long was the searching journey, and what is the “x-factor” of this place?

In 2002, while searching for high-quality wine grape sources throughout Japan during my time at Coco Farm, I came across grapes from Yoichi. The surprise I felt when first handling those grapes remains vivid. The quality of vinifera grapes from there was far beyond expectations. After searching all over Japan, I found no other region capable of consistently producing such high-quality vinifera grapes as Yoichi.

My mission at Coco Farm was to transition to 100% domestically sourced produce. After achieving this goal in 10 years, I decided to pursue my dream of independence. Based on this decade-long experience, I chose Yoichi as the place with the most potential for the future. The deciding factors for Yoichi were that firstly, Japan has no region with very low rainfall, so a cool climate region capable of adapting to rain was essential for grape growing. Secondly, Yoichi is the only region in Japan with a well-established community dedicated to vinifera grape cultivation. There are several farmers who sustain their livelihoods solely through vinifera cultivation. It also has a long history of vinifera cultivation and the most advanced techniques in Japan. Due to global warming, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which were difficult to ripen 40 years ago, now reliably ripen in Yoichi. And there are well-drained hilly terrains suitable for securing big enough vineyards.

Your wines are known for their umami taste. Was this something you aimed for from the beginning, or did you realize its uniqueness along the way?

Tasting Pierre Overnoy’s Ploussard made me realize that umami in wine could deeply move me. It reminded me of the umami found in dobin mushi [a traditional Japanese dish, a delicate and aromatic seafood and vegetable broth, often served as part of a kaiseki meal]. I began to think that Japan had a unique potential for crafting wines with umami expression. During my time at Coco Farm, skilled farmers growing table grapes often asked why qualities like the deliciousness (umami) of Kyoho or Pione [Japanese varieties of table grapes] weren’t pursued in wine. While we often dismissed the idea, saying that wine didn’t work that way, I felt a sense of discomfort about our response. That discomfort was resolved when I encountered the Overnoy’s Ploussard, which connected me to the farmers’ perspective.

Which time of the year is the most demanding in your winemaking? Is it when the botrytis cinerea rot is around?

The most challenging period is the month after grape flowering. Botrytis cinerea, powdery mildew, and physiological disorders significantly impact yields, particularly for organic growers like us. In early July, Yoichi’s slightly higher humidity compared to wine regions in other parts of the world requires careful vine management, such as flower debris removal. While global warming has reduced the impact of frost, hail, and frost damage in the past decade, failing to manage tasks during this critical period could easily halve our production, even in good vintages.

How are you improving your ways? Do you change your mind when proven wrong? Do you seek inspiration elsewhere, or would that risk losing Yoichi’s identity?

The vineyard evolves every year. Pruning methods and approaches to the soil change annually, leading to better grape quality and consequently better wine quality. As for winemaking, I do almost nothing, so there haven’t been significant changes until now, aside from a slight increase in total production. However, with the environmental changes in fermentation conditions due to global warming, 2023 became the first vintage where I struggled significantly in winemaking. I don’t think the 2023 wines will reach a level I’m satisfied with, so I plan to downgrade all flagship wines for that vintage.

That said, I have no intention of facing the next year without making changes. For the 2024 vintage, I already understand some of the causes on the winemaking side, so I plan to implement changes to address them. Until now, I haven’t done much in terms of analysing the components of the wine, but instead of leaving things to chance [laughs], I intend to manage fermentation more carefully than before.

Additionally, starting in 2024, we’ve decided to produce both lower-tier and higher-tier cuvées under the Nanatsumori brand, which will push us further in our pursuit of quality. That said, there won’t be drastic changes to my fundamental philosophy or approach to winemaking. Small steps, such as introducing temperature control for fermentation rooms or minimal sulfur use, will be my starting points. I have no plans to follow trends like egg-shaped tanks, amphorae, or other fermentation vessels. While I’d be open to methods that Yoichi farmers can adopt easily, such equipment is too expensive for most farmers here, so I don’t plan to use them. However, I do actively incorporate information from more advanced wine regions in France regarding coping with global warming, such as introducing air conditioning and exploring new approaches to organic cultivation.

What is the most important detail in winemaking that is rarely talked about?

The most important yet rarely discussed aspect is ensuring a diverse range of microorganisms and creating an environment where they can thrive—whether in the fermentation vessels or in the soil. Yoichi, including its landscape, provides an environment where a wide variety of microorganisms can coexist. While whole-cluster fermentation and fermentation vessels often attract attention, I believe that this microbial diversity is the most critical factor.

How do you achieve a certain unevenness in wine that is beautiful and avoids being boring or too perfect?

I always say that our vineyards and wines don’t strive for “uniform beauty.” The soil, the grapevines, the ripening process, and even the microbial environment during fermentation are all pursued with the aim of creating “beautiful irregularities.” I think of wine as being akin to Japanese ceramics. For example, a Bizen kiln represents a vineyard in Beaune, and certain spots in the kiln where the glaze beautifully interacts with the heat represent a grand cru. In winemaking, rain allows for uneven ripening. It’s not about deliberately including under ripe grapes, but sometimes, due to the year’s conditions, a greater number of under ripe berries end up in the wine. That imperfection becomes part of that year’s unique story and beauty.

Please tell me more about supporting local growers and interns like Toru Takamatsu. Is the future of the region important to you?

Yes, the future of the region is extremely important. Even if our individual goals and perspectives differ, we must maintain strong communication. By sharing each other’s failures and successes, we can all improve, including myself. Building a sustainable wine-growing region requires support and communication at all levels, and I believe this is essential.

What kind of wines do you like to drink?

I enjoy wines that are soft and velvety in the mouth, with depth, long finishes, and a warmth that touches the heart. I don’t drink alcohol every day, so when I do drink, I look for wines that I personally find delicious. While I don’t limit myself to wines from the same region or producer, I actively seek out new producers whose wines inspire me. Tastings with interns like Takamatsu or with local producers who bring their wines to share have become a stimulating and enjoyable part of my life, especially since I rarely leave the vineyard these days. However, it’s also true that the prices of such wines have been steadily increasing recently, making it harder to enjoy them as often.

What do you do in your free time? What inspires you?

Recently, I’ve been fascinated by looking at the Instagram accounts of producers worldwide who share similar philosophies in cultivation and winemaking. I tend not to follow accounts with strong promotional elements, but those that post scenes from their actual work are incredibly inspiring and educational. Other than that, I try to spend as much time as possible with my children. They are an immensely important source of energy for me.

What are your plans for the future of your domaine?

Until now, the grapes from the vineyard were not sorted by plot or quality; everything was blended together to release as Nanatsumori Pinot Noir. However, given the increased size of Nanatsumori vineyards and the growth in production volume, and the significant impact of global warming on quality, it has been decided to create five cuvées within the Nanatsumori brand series: Nanatsumori Rosé de Noir ナナツモリ ロゼドノワール, our Top Cuvée that’s 100% Pinot Noir, an ultimate wine pursuing the perfect balance of umami; Nanatsumori Blanc de Noir ナナツモリ ブランドノワール, our Special Cuvée that’s a dry wine made from botrytized Pinot Noir; Nanatsumori Pinot Noir ナナツモリ ピノノワール, the “Standard Cuvée” that is a step above the existing product because it comes from selected specific plots); Nanatsumori Passetoutgrains ナナツモリ パストゥグラン, our “Second Wine”, a blend of two grape varieties, with Pinot Noir accounting for over 51% and Zweigelt under 49%, rather than Gamay; and finally, Nanatsumori VINOP Rosé ナナツモリ ヴィノップロ, a wine blended from various lots, including experimental library varieties harvested at Nanatsumori.

What is the future of wine, according to you?

The future of Japanese wine lies in moving beyond souvenir wines. If the world can understand and appreciate the “umami” that Japanese wines uniquely express, the industry will continue to grow.

Japanese wines complement the subtle flavors of sushi and other delicate Japanese dishes, as well as globally recognised Japanese-French and Japanese-Italian cuisines. Wines that harmonise with these styles will thrive moving forward.

My classic final question: do you think that wine is art?

As Hugh Johnson wrote in his book The Story of Wine: “A winemaker is a farmer and an artist, a labourer and a dreamer, a hedonist and a masochist, an alchemist and an accountant. Since Noah’s Flood, this has not changed.”

Wine is art. It is something beautiful.

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