About this wine
Saguru (探, meaning 'to explore' or 'to search') is the 2022 vintage in de Montille & Hokkaido's five-year 'learning series' (2018-2022) — the final release before the estate's own Hakodate vineyard came into production in 2023. Like its predecessors 豪 (Oser, 2018), 驚 (Surprise, 2019), 學 (Gaku, 2020) and 理 (Ri, 2021), Saguru was made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes purchased from contracted growers in Yoichi, Hokkaido, and vinified in partnership with Coco Farm & Winery and winemaker Bruce Gutlove of 10R Winery. The name reflects the project's stance at that stage: having accumulated four years of learning, the team still faced new challenges to explore before the Hakodate estate could stand on its own. The wine shows a light garnet color, fresh red fruit (raspberry, strawberry), peony florals and a whisper of white pepper spice, framed by fine-grained, veil-like tannins, savory earthy depth and a mineral, lingering finish — the delicate, cool-climate Burgundian style the de Montille family was chasing in Hokkaido.
A delicate, food-friendly Pinot Noir that shows Hokkaido's cool-climate elegance — a great way to taste how far Japanese Pinot Noir has come before trying the project's later estate-grown vintages.
Sommelier's Note
"The final chapter of de Montille & Hokkaido's founding 'learning series' — Saguru captures the project at its most exploratory, before the Hakodate estate took over, and remains one of the most collectible bottles in the five-vintage arc."
Food Pairings
Pairs well with red meats, and when young also with beef carpaccio and fresh tuna dishes; as it ages, it complements richer white meat and slow-braised dishes. Try it with roast duck, mushroom risotto, or grilled salmon with a light soy glaze.
When to drink it
A fitting choice for a vertical tasting alongside the other kanji-labeled vintages (豪・驚・學・理), or for a quiet dinner with Japanese-inflected dishes.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Style
- Red
- Vintage
- 2022
- Price Range
- ¥4,800-6,500
Terroir & Winemaking
Sourced from 100% Pinot Noir grapes grown by contracted growers in Yoichi, Hokkaido — the final vintage made before the project's own Hakodate estate vineyard came into production. Vinified in partnership with Coco Farm & Winery and Bruce Gutlove of 10R Winery, following Domaine de Montille's Burgundian philosophy of minimal intervention: native-yeast fermentation, gentle extraction, and aging designed to preserve the fruit's natural delicacy rather than mimic Burgundy outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Saguru taste like?
- Light garnet in color, with fresh raspberry and strawberry fruit, peony florals, a touch of white pepper spice, fine veil-like tannins, and a savory, mineral-driven finish.
- What food pairs well with Saguru?
- Red meats and beef carpaccio or fresh tuna when young; richer white meat and braised dishes as it ages.
- How does Saguru differ from other de Montille & Hokkaido vintages?
- It is the final (2022) release of the five-year 'learning series' made from purchased Yoichi grapes, one year before the Hakodate estate's own vineyard began producing wine with the 2023 Nozomi release.
- How long can Saguru age?
- Built on delicate, fine tannins, it can be enjoyed young but also rewards 6-10 years of cellaring as secondary aromas develop.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
學（ガク）ピノ・ノワール
Gaku Pinot Noir
RedPinot Noir
Gaku is the 2020 vintage in de Montille & Hokkaido's five-year 'learning series' (2018-2022), each year named with a single kanji character reflecting the lesson learned that season. Gaku (學, meaning 'to study/learn') was produced from 100% Pinot Noir grapes grown by growers in Yoichi, Hokkaido, in partnership with Coco Farm & Winery and winemaker Bruce Gutlove of 10R Winery, before de Montille & Hokkaido's own Hakodate estate vineyard came into production in 2023. It shows the delicate, cool-climate character the project was chasing: pale garnet color, fresh red berries (raspberry, strawberry), peony florals, and a savory, autumnal undertone of root spice, wood smoke, pickled cherry and mushroom, carried by fine, veil-like tannins.
望
Nozomi
RedWhitePinot Noir · Chardonnay · Kerner
Nozomi (meaning 'hope') is the name given to de Montille & Hokkaido's 2023 vintage release, marking the historic transition from the project's five-year Yoichi-sourced learning series (Oser 2018, Surprise 2019, Learn 2020, Comprendre 2021, Explore 2022) to wines made from the estate's own Hakodate vineyard, the same year the Hakodate winery facility was completed. The 2023 Nozomi release comprises three wines: a Chardonnay made from 100% estate-grown Hakodate fruit (the project's first fully estate-grown release), a Pinot Noir blending roughly two-thirds Yoichi-grown grapes with estate fruit due to lower-than-expected estate yields, and a Kerner sourced from contracted Yoichi growers (Ani Farm). All three were vinified with native yeasts at the newly built Hakodate winery, reflecting Domaine de Montille's Burgundian philosophy of minimal intervention transplanted to Hokkaido's volcanic terroir.