Takahiko Soga founded Domaine Takahiko in Yoichi, Hokkaido in 2010. His parents operate the Obuse Winery in Nagano, and wine has been a part of Soga’s life since childhood. Trained as an oenologist and microbiologist at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, his work in the wine industry began as the farm manager of Coco Farm Winery where he immersed himself in the culture of wine, visiting producers across the globe and finding particular inspiration in the Jura and Burgundy in France.
After 10 years he decided to establish his own farm and winery devoted to Pinot Noir. To do so, he embarked on a quest to find the perfect place to grow that temperamental variety. Visiting numerous sites across Japan, he finally chose Yoichi as the site to establish his own domaine.
Domaine Takahiko consists of a single 4.6-hectare vineyard of Pinot Noir vines at roughly 60 meters above sea level on a hill above the Yoichi River. The vineyard, called Nana Tsu Mori, is the source of all of the wines labeled Domaine Takahiko. The site was at one point a cherry orchard. Today, it is planted to Pinot Noir from 13 different clones from France, Germany, and Switzerland. The soils are sand and gravel over soft, dark volcanic clay; the bedrock is andesite, a finely grained dark stone of volcanic origin. The soils and the bedrock provide good drainage for the vines, which is vital in an area with relatively high precipitation year-round.
Takahiko's wines are a phenomenon, and are among the most sought-after and hardest to find at restaurants and wine stores in Japan and around the world. Hundreds of volunteers from all over Japan come to the domaine to participate in the harvest, all drawn by the unique wines and unique philosophy of the domaine’s founder - and the incredible quality of his natural wines.
The Domaine Takahiko wines are expressions of the unique terroir of Yoichi. Takahiko Soga sees himself primarily as a farmer and regards his work as primarily agricultural. He shares this identity with his neighbors in Yoichi, whether they grow potatoes, apples, cherries or grapes. His wines are delicate, savoury and unpretentious.
