Wine journalist Yasuyuki Ukita, who has visited 700 wineries both in Japan and abroad, spent two years interviewing, researching, and writing the book "Domaine Takahiko's Struggles: Japan's Umami Wine to the World," which will be released by K&B Publishers on August 2th.
Nanatsumori, created by Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko, became known overseas after being featured on the wine list of Noma, the world's number one restaurant in Copenhagen, and has become a wine that the world is paying attention to.
Regarding this book, which follows Soga's footsteps and the ``phenomenon'' his wines created, Ukita says, ``It's a milestone I've finally reached after covering wine for over 30 years.''
Let me give you an overview of this book.
Japanese wine is suddenly becoming more well-known and appreciated overseas.
In particular, wines produced in Hokkaido are astonishing wine journalists, sommeliers, and wine lovers around the world with their unique flavor and high quality. At the center of this "phenomenon" is Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko in Yoichi Town.
Takahiko Soga is leading the rapid growth of Japanese wine.
Nanatsumori Pinot Noir, which he cultivates himself from grapes, has a color that seems to have been aged since new wine, a deep aroma, and a unique flavor with umami. In 2020, when Nanatsumori was added to the wine list of Noma, the world's number one restaurant in Copenhagen, the name Domaine Takahiko quickly became known around the world.
Currently, Nanatsumori is exported to 14 countries and is so popular that it sells out immediately upon release, and is traded online at prices more than 10 times the retail price.
"Domaine Takahiko Nanatsumori Pinot Noir".
What kind of person was Soga Takahiko?
Why Yoichi, Hokkaido?
How was the wine that opened the door to the world and changed the history of Japanese wine born?
Author and wine journalist Ukita happened to encounter Domaine Takahiko's early "Nanatsumori" in 2014, and was astonished by its unique flavor, commenting, "This is neither a wine from a traditional country nor a wine from an emerging country; it's a third flavor." Since then, he has followed Soga's footsteps and words, collecting testimonies from many people involved, and getting to the heart of the "phenomenon" occurring in the wine world.
These include Soga's naturally aggressive personality and unparalleled inquisitiveness, the trial and error of the generation before him (the winemakers known as the "Usuke Boys" who were mentored by Usuke Asai, the "father of Japanese wine"), and his encounter with an American winemaker who was invited to serve as an advisor to Coco Farm, a winery in Tochigi Prefecture. He also encountered winemakers of his generation who shared the same aspirations and sometimes engaged in confrontational battles.
Domaine Takahiko, Nanatsumori vineyards.
Then there was the "natural wine" movement that began to spread in Japan in the early 2000s, and climate change that made Hokkaido a suitable place for grape cultivation.
As you read, Domaine Takahiko begins to seem like a timely, inevitable, and destined creation. The reader is left feeling nostalgic and intoxicated, and a strong desire to experience this "umami wine," which, when sipped, makes one feel as if they are walking through the grounds of a temple or shrine.
"Domaine Takahiko's Struggle: Japan's Umami Wine to the World"
[Number of pages / Size / Price / Release date]
232 pages / 1800-size softcover / 2025 yen (excluding tax) / August 8, 29
[Publisher]
K&B Publishers
Writer/wine journalist. Her topics include wine, food culture, agriculture, travel, and people. She has covered over 700 wineries in Japan and abroad. Her books include "To the Bordeaux of My Dreams" (Asahi Shimbun Aeramook), and her translations include "Dr. Galland's Metabolic Diet" (Kodansha).
