Due Punti Vineyards

‘Due Punti,’ meaning ‘two points’ in Italian, a reference to the two main points in winemaker Shinsuke Isaka’s philosophy: ‘Quality First’ and a ‘Wide Perspective.’ Isaka keeps these goals front and center as a constant reminder on how to make ‘high quality wine’ to drink every day. Those two points have guided him through the many stops in Isaka’s career that have brought him to the plot of land he now farms on the Oshima Peninsula in southern Hokkaido. After graduating with a degree in geography, Isaka got his first introduction to the industry in the import business. He decided to travel to New Zealand on a working holiday visa and immerse himself in winemaking, training both in the vineyards and in the winery in Marlborough and in Nelson. After a stint as a sommelier at Yashin Ocean House, an upscale Japanese restaurant in London, a couple years working in vinification in Italy, and three vintages as the winemaker at Camel Farm Winery in Hokkaido, Isaka decided to cast out on his own.  Isaka sought to find available land with a cool climate, but south facing so as to be warm enough to avoid issues with frost and snow as can happen with frequency in Hokkaido; southern Hokkaido is on the same latitude as Rome, but can see anywhere from 5 to 8 feet of snow in the winter. He settled upon a site in the Fumizuki district, just outside of Hokuto City, on the southern tip of the Oshima Peninsula, near the city of Hakodate. The area has a unique microclimate – it is kept warm in the winter due to the Tsugaru Warm Current just off the coast. In the early season, daytime humidity and nighttime frost put some pressure on overall grape yield, but by the time August comes around, the area sees significantly less rainfall than the rest of the region. The last month of growth is temperate, dry, and cool, allowing for a final product that maintains aromatic complexity and high toned acidity, but full phenolic ripeness. As with most of Hokkaido, the soils in the vineyard are made up of a layer of soft black volcanic ‘andosols,’ a unique and fertile Japanese soil type that is easy to work and relatively acidic. Beneath the topsoil is mostly dense clay that is tough for the roots to penetrate. They mostly stay closer to the surface. They farm the vineyard using a technique called ‘integrated pest management.’ This essentially requires a close eye on every square inch of the vineyard, using physical or biological means of insect protection, even using a hand operated air pump to ventilate flower clusters and prevent botrytis, only relying on minimal organic sprays when necessary. They detach the vines from the guidewires in the winter, laying them down to get fully buried under snow and therefore insulated from risk of freezing in the colder air.  The focus is on continental European varieties that can handle the colder winter, and can ripen into a delicate expression over the long cool autumn. Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc are favorites of Isaka’s, but Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Zweigelt, Merlot, and Sauvignon Gris also do well in the unique terroir. Isaka takes an elegant and classical approach to vinification, using native fermentation and limited sulphur additions, but not shying away from the gentle structure that can be provided by a judicious use of new oak. The wines are a beautiful expression of this northerly site.