What grape variety does Domaine Mont grow?

Domaine Mont cultivates only Pinot Gris, on about 1.5-1.8 hectares of its estate in Nobori, Yoichi, Hokkaido.

Who founded Domaine Mont and when?

Atsuo Yamanaka founded Domaine Mont in spring 2016, after training for two years under Takahiko Soga at Domaine Takahiko.

What is Domaine Mont's winemaking philosophy?

Yamanaka farms organically (JAS-certified) with minimal intervention and ferments with wild ambient yeasts, aiming to express umami rather than concentration or mineral drive — a style he believes Japan's rainy climate and microbe-rich soils are uniquely suited to.

Dom Gris is Domaine Mont's flagship orange wine, made from whole-cluster Pinot Gris fermented on its skins for extended maceration, showing notes of dried apricot, citrus peel, and tea-like spice.

Why are Domaine Mont wines so hard to find?

Production is tiny — roughly 5,000 vines on under 2 hectares — making the wines some of the most allocated and sought-after bottlings in Japan.

ProducerYoichi

Domaine Mont

ドメーヌモン

Yoichi's cult Pinot Gris, fermented wild for pure Japanese umami.

About Domaine Mont

Founded: 2016; 10 years ago
Location: 余市町; 北海道
Wines listed: 9; Sparkling 2, White 5, Red 2
Main grapes: Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling

Domaine Mont is a small, single-varietal winery in Nobori, Yoichi, Hokkaido, founded in spring 2016 by Atsuo Yamanaka after a two-year apprenticeship in viticulture and winemaking under Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko. On roughly 1.5-1.8 hectares of a 3-hectare estate at about 50 meters elevation, Yamanaka farms around 5,000 vines of Pinot Gris exclusively, certified organic under JAS standards, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Fermentation relies on wild, ambient yeasts, and the flagship cuvée, Dom Gris, is an orange wine made through extended skin-contact fermentation of whole-cluster fruit. Rather than chasing concentration, Yamanaka builds his wines around umami — the savory depth he believes Japan's rainy, humid climate and microbe-rich volcanic soils are uniquely suited to express. The wines have become some of the most difficult-to-find bottles in Japan, praised internationally by critics including James Suckling.

Official website: domainemont.com ↗

Who Is This For?

For drinkers seeking Japan's most distinctive natural wine — savory, umami-driven Pinot Gris rooted in a single Hokkaido vineyard, rather than fruit-forward or mineral-driven styles.

Wines of Domaine Mont

Sparkling2

White5

Red2

Location & Nearby

Address: 北海道余市郡余市町登町898View map ↗
Founded: 2016

Source: domainemont.com (checked Sep 2026)

The pin with the gold outline marks Domaine Mont.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What grape variety does Domaine Mont grow?: Domaine Mont cultivates only Pinot Gris, on about 1.5-1.8 hectares of its estate in Nobori, Yoichi, Hokkaido.
Who founded Domaine Mont and when?: Atsuo Yamanaka founded Domaine Mont in spring 2016, after training for two years under Takahiko Soga at Domaine Takahiko.
What is Domaine Mont's winemaking philosophy?: Yamanaka farms organically (JAS-certified) with minimal intervention and ferments with wild ambient yeasts, aiming to express umami rather than concentration or mineral drive — a style he believes Japan's rainy climate and microbe-rich soils are uniquely suited to.
What is Dom Gris?: Dom Gris is Domaine Mont's flagship orange wine, made from whole-cluster Pinot Gris fermented on its skins for extended maceration, showing notes of dried apricot, citrus peel, and tea-like spice.
Why are Domaine Mont wines so hard to find?: Production is tiny — roughly 5,000 vines on under 2 hectares — making the wines some of the most allocated and sought-after bottlings in Japan.