Domaine Mont

Founded in 2016 in Yoichi (Hokkaido), Domaine Mont, led by Atsuo Yamanaka, is a 1.5-hectare wine estate producing 7,500 litres, planted on a terroir benefiting from morning sunshine, excellent ventilation and natural drainage, in a climate with temperature variations close to those of northern Burgundy and Alsace, favouring the balance between acidity and sugar ripeness. Trained under Takahiko Soga, the winemaker cultivates some 5,000 Pinot Gris vines, limits the use of pesticides by respecting the role of insects as vectors of indigenous yeasts, and uses exclusively local grapes sourced from his own estate or neighbouring producers. His winemaking approach favours wild yeasts in order to reveal aromatic profiles of great finesse and complexity. As an heir to Japanese tea culture, he seeks to transpose into his wines the expression of umami, bitterness and delicacy, in an approach deeply rooted in "Japaneseness". Coming from an unconventional background, he has transformed a former woodland into a vineyard now certified organic under JAS standards, embodying a demanding, artisanal and sensitive vision of wine.