Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan
Wild wine. Aromatics of Cote Rotie, body of west Sonoma pinot.
Wild wine. Aromatics of Cote Rotie, body of west Sonoma pinot.
May 10th, 2026
Takahiko Soga Yoichi Nobori 2015
Domaine Takahiko has two main product lines:
- Nana-tsu-mori: Made from estate-grown Pinot Noir.
- Yoichi-Nobori: Sourced from purchased grapes, usually blends.
This Passetoutgrain is a Pinot Noir and Gamay blend (they also have another cuvée, Ô Lie- a Pinot Noir and Zweigelt blend—which I haven’t tried yet).
My Experience with Nana-tsu-mori
I’ve tried two vintages, both underwhelming:
- 2021: Opened with a distinct animalic/funky note(like barnyard), not the cleanest, but the flavors were interesting—red fruit and a chilly, austere vibe.
- 2018(bought in Japan): Watery and collapsed, with no structure. No idea what went wrong.
Yoichi-Nobori 2015 – A Better Experience
- Aromas: Fragrant at opening, though the bouquet faded after ~2 hours.
- Appearance: Classic natural wine hue, similar to Domaine Prieuré Roch.
- Palate:
- No wateriness(a big plus!).
- Rich fruit, well-structured and layered-like sour plum soup with a hint of licorice and mint.
- A touch of greenness, followed by umami on the finish.
- Acidity:Moderate, well-integrated.
Final Thoughts
This domaine’s wines are hit-or-miss, wildly inconsistent. Given their secondary market prices(which rival grand cru Burgundy), they’re only worth buying at allocation prices.
Takahiko Soga Yoichi Nobori 2015
Domaine Takahiko has two main product lines:
- Nana-tsu-mori: Made from estate-grown Pinot Noir.
- Yoichi-Nobori: Sourced from purchased grapes, usually blends.
This Passetoutgrain is a Pinot Noir and Gamay blend (they also have another cuvée, Ô Lie- a Pinot Noir and Zweigelt blend—which I haven’t tried yet).
My Experience with Nana-tsu-mori
I’ve tried two vintages, both underwhelming:
- 2021: Opened with a distinct animalic/funky note(like barnyard), not the cleanest, but the flavors were interesting—red fruit and a chilly, austere vibe.
- 2018(bought in Japan): Watery and collapsed, with no structure. No idea what went wrong.
Yoichi-Nobori 2015 – A Better Experience
- Aromas: Fragrant at opening, though the bouquet faded after ~2 hours.
- Appearance: Classic natural wine hue, similar to Domaine Prieuré Roch.
- Palate:
- No wateriness(a big plus!).
- Rich fruit, well-structured and layered-like sour plum soup with a hint of licorice and mint.
- A touch of greenness, followed by umami on the finish.
- Acidity:Moderate, well-integrated.
Final Thoughts
This domaine’s wines are hit-or-miss, wildly inconsistent. Given their secondary market prices(which rival grand cru Burgundy), they’re only worth buying at allocation prices.
