About Saguru Pinot Noir
- Style
- Red
- Grape Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Price Range
- ¥4,800-6,500
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.
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.
New to wine?
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.
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.
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.
About the producer
de Montille & HokkaidoJapan's first foreign-invested winery: Etienne de Montille of Burgundy brings 300 years of terroir mastery to Hakodate's volcanic hills — earning a JWA 4-star in just its first years of estate production.函館市, 北海道 · Founded 2016Visit the producer page →More wines from de Montille & Hokkaido
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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