Domaine Yui
ドメーヌ・ユイ
World-class Pinot Noir meets heritage pétillant from 30+ year old Labrusca vines
Domaine Yui is a small family winery in Yoichi, Hokkaido, founded in 2020 by former architect Tetsuya Sugiyama and his wife Aya, a former teacher. Both jazz enthusiasts, the couple moved from Tokyo to Yoichi in 2017 with a vision of creating world-class wines. They farm approximately 6 hectares across two distinct vineyards: Farm A with classic Vitis vinifera varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris), and Farm T with 30+ year old heritage Labrusca vines (Delaware, Portland, Campbell Early, Niagara). Their philosophy prioritizes quality and taste-driven expression over dogmatic ideology, using pesticide-free farming, wild yeast fermentation, and minimal intervention.
domaineyui.jp/ ↗Cuvées
ドメーヌ・ユイ ピノノワール
Domaine Yui Pinot Noir
RedPinot Noir
Located in the Nobori district of Yoichi, Hokkaido, Domaine Yui is a boutique winery founded by Tetsuya and Aya Sugiyama. Their Pinot Noir, sourced from the 'Farm A' vineyard, is celebrated for its Burgundian finesse and distinct Hokkaido terroir. The winemaking emphasizes minimal intervention, utilizing indigenous yeasts and careful parcel selection to express the unique characteristics of the site. The resulting wines are elegant, aromatic, and possess a refined mineral backbone, often showcasing notes of red berries, delicate spices, and a subtle, savory complexity that reflects the cool-climate viticulture of northern Japan.
ドメーヌ・ユイ T2+ ペティアン ロゼ
Domaine Yui T2+ Pétillant Rosé
SparklingRoséPortland · Campbell Early
Domaine Yui T2+ Pétillant Rosé is a vibrant, artisanal sparkling wine crafted in Yoichi, Hokkaido. Utilizing old-vine Portland and Campbell Early grapes from Farm T, this wine undergoes a natural fermentation process. It exhibits a delicate pink hue, lively effervescence, and a refreshing profile characterized by notes of wild strawberries, red currants, and a subtle floral undertone. The wine is unfiltered, preserving its raw, authentic character and terroir-driven complexity.
ドメーヌ・ユイ ブラン
Domaine Yui Blanc
WhiteChardonnay
Domaine Yui, located in the Nobori area of Yoichi, Hokkaido, crafts this exceptional Chardonnay from their Farm A vineyard. The winemaking, characterized by wild yeast fermentation and aging in Hungarian oak barrels, produces a rich, voluminous profile that showcases the potential of Hokkaido's terroir. It features well-integrated oak nuances, buttery notes from malolactic fermentation, and a complex, layered structure that balances power with elegance.
ドメーヌ・ユイ ピノグリ
Domaine Yui Pinot Gris
WhitePinot Gris
Domaine Yui, located in the Nobori district of Yoichi, Hokkaido, is a boutique winery founded by Tetsuya and Aya Sugiyama. The Farm A Pinot Gris is a testament to their commitment to terroir-driven winemaking. Cultivated in their own vineyards with organic practices, this wine captures the cool-climate essence of Yoichi. It typically exhibits a complex profile with notes of orchard fruits like pear and apple, white peach, and subtle floral undertones, supported by a refined mineral backbone and vibrant acidity.
ドメーヌ・ユイ T1 ペティアン ブラン
Domaine Yui T1 Pétillant Blanc
SparklingDelaware
Domaine Yui, located in Yoichi, Hokkaido, is a boutique winery founded by Tetsuya and Aya Sugiyama. The T1 Pétillant Blanc is crafted from Delaware grapes grown in their T1 vineyard, managed with minimal intervention and organic practices. The winemaking process involves gentle pressing, six months of barrel aging, and a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This sparkling wine is celebrated for its delicate, refreshing character, featuring crisp acidity and vibrant citrus aromas, often with subtle notes of apple or yogurt depending on the vintage.
ドメーヌ・ユイ T2 ペティアン ブラン
Domaine Yui T2 Pétillant Blanc
SparklingPortland
Crafted from old-vine Portland grapes grown in the T2 vineyard of Yoichi, Hokkaido, this pétillant blanc is a testament to the Sugiyama family's commitment to natural winemaking. The wine features a pale, slightly cloudy lemon-yellow hue with fine, lively bubbles. On the nose, it offers vibrant aromas of citrus, grapefruit, and fresh grapes, complemented by subtle yeast and herbal notes. The palate is bone-dry and refreshing, characterized by a zesty acidity reminiscent of a sophisticated natural lemon squash, making it an exceptionally drinkable and pure expression of the Yoichi terroir.
ドメーヌ・ユイ T6 ペティアン ロゼ
Domaine Yui T6 Pétillant Rosé
SparklingRoséNiagara · Campbell Early · Portland
Domaine Yui's T6 Pétillant Rosé is a delicate and expressive sparkling wine from Yoichi, Hokkaido. Crafted from a blend of Niagara, Campbell Early, and Portland grapes grown in 30-year-old vineyards, this wine is produced using natural methods, including wild yeast fermentation and no added sulfites. It offers a fleeting, ethereal aroma and refreshing acidity, capturing the unique terroir of the Nobori region. The wine is known for its complex, nuanced profile and vibrant, fruit-forward character.
Who Is This For?
For wine lovers curious about both elegant Burgundy-style Pinot Noir and playful, low-alcohol pétillant wines made from rare heritage Labrusca vines. Ideal for those who want to explore the full breadth of what Hokkaido wine can be — from serious still wines to approachable party sparkling.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Domaine Yui unique among Japanese wineries?
- Domaine Yui is exceptional in producing two entirely different styles: elegant still wines from Vitis vinifera (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris) on Farm A, and innovative pétillant wines from 30+ year old heritage Labrusca vines (Delaware, Portland, Niagara) on Farm T. Their quality-over-ideology philosophy also sets them apart.
- Who founded Domaine Yui and what is their background?
- Tetsuya Sugiyama (former architect) and Aya Sugiyama (former teacher) — a jazz-loving couple who left Tokyo in 2017 to pursue winemaking in Yoichi. They built their winery from scratch and completed it in 2020. Their Pinot Noir was selected as Yoichi's representative wine at the friendship city ceremony with Gevrey-Chambertin, France.
- Do Domaine Yui wines use sulfites or additives?
- They use minimal or no added sulfites depending on the wine. All farming is pesticide-free, fertilizer-free, and herbicide-free with wild yeast fermentation. Their philosophy is practical flexibility — using sulfites only when truly necessary for quality.
- What is the difference between Farm A and Farm T wines?
- Farm A produces classic still wines from Vitis vinifera varieties with structure and aging potential. Farm T produces pétillant sparkling wines from inherited 30+ year old Labrusca heritage vines with bright acidity, low alcohol (8–11.5%), and approachable fresh fruit character.
- Are Domaine Yui wines easy to find?
- Production is limited (approximately 20,000 bottles annually from a two-person team), so wines often sell out quickly. They are available through select Japanese wine retailers such as IMADEYA. Early ordering is strongly recommended.