Domaine Atsushi Suzuki
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Atsushi Suzuki founded his Domaine in 2014, after working with Takahiko Soga at Domaine Takahiko. Seeking his own project, Atsushi took over a 5.6-hectare vineyard in Nobori from a farmer who had been working conventionally and began working to convert it to organic farming. When he acquired the vineyard it was planted to Zweigelt, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer, over time he has moved towards a higher percentage of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir compared to the other varieties, grafting some vines to his preferred varieties and experimenting with less common varieties in Hokkaido, like Poulsard.
 
In the vineyard, Atsushi has focused on improving soil health and natural treatments to reduce the susceptibility to grey rot and insect pests. Today, he farms with virtually no tilling and widespread cover crops. The vineyard is on an east-facing slope at roughly 60-80m elevation, and the soils are a mix of gravels, sands, and clays over andesite that drains well. During the growing season, healthful winds help protect the vines frum disease. 
 
Atsushi’s tastes and inspirations run towards delicate and mineral white wines and savory, lightly macerated reds. The influence of Takahiko is apparent in his use of affordable resin fermenters and whole berry fermentations for his red wines; his white wines are similarly simply made and intended to express a strong sense of this cool place with gentle winds, orchards, and mountains. 
 
The cellar is in an old stone granary built in the 1920s or 1930s for storing apples. Atsushi appreciates that it stays at a relatively stable temperature year-round, helping the wines ferment and age stably without temperature controls. Within, he works simply with just a small basket press, a barrel, and a resin tank for fermentation – he does not have and does not use and pumps or a destemmer. Similarly, he works without fining, filtering, or any other additions during the winemaking process, only adding a small amount of SO2 at bottling to help the wine survive transport. 

The Wines

Tomo Rouge is 100% Zweigelt from Atsushi Suzuki's 5.6 hectare east-facing vineyard in Nobori, Yoichi. The vines are planted on well-drained sand, gravel, and clay over old volcanic andesite at 60-80m elevation. The grapes were harvested and destemmed by hand, then fermented with the whole berries in a resin fermenter without temperature control. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and racked to rest in a 450L used oak barrel. Bottled without fining or filtering and with only a small addition of SO2 at bottling. 

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Location

General Info

  • Founded: 2014
  • Region: Hokkaido
  • Town: Yoichi
  • Village: Nobori
  • Climate: Cold Maritime
  • Soils: Sand, gravel and clay over old volcanic andesite
  • Farming: Organic
  • Grower: Atsushi Suzuki

Tech Sheets

Gallery

Photos courtesy of Alice Feiring.