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The Story
DUE PUNTI = TWO POINTS.
These are the two themes for our winemaking "Quality first" and "Wide perspective."
It may seem obvious when making wine, but I think it is very difficult to actually operate with these themes.
That is why we named it as the name of the producer, and based on this, we will make unique and high quality wine that even we want to drink every day.
When I was a college student, I felt that sweet sparkling wine Asti was so good, and since then I gained experience as a wine shop's staff, importer, sommelier, wine-maker as well as a CONNOISSEUR. And especially when I started working as a producer, I really wanted to make wine by myself.
The most important land search for starting the business was to find a land that was huge as much as possible in a cool climate, and mainly that slope was facing south. It wasn't easy to find in japan, but I've got oppotunity to get the land by meeting with the enthusiastic person who is belong to agricultural committee of Hokuto City and Mr. and Mrs. Sasaki of the NORAKURA who are pioneers in this area and told me how the grapes are grown in this region. So I arrived at the field in Hokuto City.
From now on, I hope to reveal the potential of this land with the wines with various trials as well as errors.
The Land
Cool climate x Andosols & Clay Soil
Hokuto City is located at almost the same latitude as Rome in Italy.
Climate in Hokuto, Hokkaido
GDD (1981-2010) 1098℃ Region Ⅰa
GDD（2020-2024）1500℃-1700℃ Region Ⅱ or Ⅲ (warmest in Hokkaido pref.)
Temperature dramatically rises these years.
But the last month of growing season is very cool, that probably makes well ripen phenolic compounds.
eg; average temperature in October is 12.6℃ (2020-2024)
Harvest period is on 10th to 31th October.
Rainfall is more than the other region of Hokkaido until august, but less than the other in September and October.
The Ono Plain, Mt. Hakodate, and the Shimokita Peninsula, which can be seen from the vineyard, are spectacular. Due to the Tsugaru Warm Current, the climate is relatively warm in winter, but the humid and cold temperatures during flowering season can also make low yield. But we have longer autumn, It's especially crucial for the maturity of the grapes.
We have the andosols topsoil 20 – 50cm. The subsoil is hard clay which is unbroken by root. So actually, their roots dance only in this acidic topsoil. I am thinking that makes our soft texture like flavor expanding horizontally on the palate. The top soil easily tends to acidic, so we fertilize by using organic lime material such like scallops every two years.
Cooler and Sunny Climate in Autumn and The Rare Top Soil contributes our Unique Wine Taste.
Some additional informations
【Pruning timing】
Advantage of viticulture around here is that is not required winter pruning on autumn, so we can concentrate more wine making, and importantly, the vines get more substance to survive beyond harsh winter on the snow. Because snow level reaches only 100cm maximum (the other vinifera growing region in Hokkaido are such like 150cm to 200cm, so they let the vines down under the snow. That is tough work but vines are protected by snow from cold injury. They need almost done the winter pruning before snowing), that means our vines always stay on the snow even at -15℃.
【Blowing all flower caps】
After the flowering and fruit set, we blow all the flower cap which stay in the cluster by using air compressor to avoid botrytis bunch rot. This work is super crucial at our humid condition during the season. This work takes over 2 weeks. But it is necessary to gain good condition’s grapes obviously.
【Our varieties】
Our planting surface: 2ha 6000vines
Pinot Noir 2400 vines Mainly Dijon clones planted 2020
Pinot Blanc 2000 vines planted 2022 and 2024
Chardonnay 500 vines planted 2020
Zweigelt 400 vines planted 2020
Merlot 100 vines planted 2020
Sauvignon Gris 70 vines planted 2021
Pinot Gris 50 vines planted 2020
Riesling
Savagnan
Sauvitage (PIWI)
Climate data
The Wine-grower
Shinsuke Isaka
Born in Kagoshima prefecture in 1985
Graduated Geography major of Ritsumeikan University,
Experience of Wine-import business at Mikuni Wine Co.,Ltd for four years since 2008. After leaving the company, I spent a year working holiday in New Zealand, training and working at Kusuda wines, Mt.Rosa wines, some vineyards at marlborough and Neudorf vineyards in 2013. Then I worked as a sommelier at Yashin Ocean House in London. After that have the experience of vinification at Falesco in Italy for two years. After coming back to Japan, 3 vintages at Camel Farm Winery in Hokkaido as a wine-maker. Established DUE PUNTI Ltd. at Hokuto-city, Hokkaido in February 2020.