Kondo Vineyard (近藤ヴィンヤード)
Sorachi small-domain founded by Ryōsuke Kondō — Burgundy-trained natural Pinot Noir at high-elevation Iwamizawa, in the heart of Bruce Gutlove's 10R alumni community
The Producer
Kondo Vineyard (近藤ヴィンヤード) was founded by Ryōsuke Kondō (近藤亮介) in Iwamizawa, the inland continental Sorachi sub-region of Hokkaido. Kondō trained in Burgundy and was among the alumni of Bruce Gutlove's 10R Winery custom-crush program — the incubator that has launched roughly 35 Hokkaido small-domain estates since 2012.
Vineyard
Kondo Vineyard's plot sits at elevation in the Sorachi inland continental zone — a meaningfully different climate from the coastal Yoichi cluster. Inland Sorachi is colder, drier, and more continental than coastal Yoichi, with shorter growing seasons but longer hang-time per equivalent ripeness. The terroir register Kondō works with is distinct from anything available in Yoichi: more acidic, more structurally precise, with different aromatic-development trajectories.
Style
Kondo Vineyard's wines lean natural — indigenous-yeast fermentation, minimal sulphur, restrained intervention — while maintaining Burgundy-influenced classical structure. The Pinot Noir bottlings are particularly admired for the combination of natural-wine ethos with classical acid-tannin architecture.
The Sorachi Inland Wing
Kondo Vineyard is part of the inland Sorachi small-domain wing within the broader Hokkaido cluster. The Sorachi wing includes:
- 10R Winery (Iwamizawa, 2012) — Bruce Gutlove's incubator
- Kondo Vineyard (Iwamizawa)
- Various 10R alumni at Iwamizawa and surrounding
The Sorachi wing complements the coastal Yoichi cluster (Takahiko, Mont, Suzuki et al.) — together producing a more complete picture of Hokkaido fine-wine identity than either sub-cluster alone.
Why It Matters
Kondo Vineyard demonstrates the inland continental Hokkaido wine identity that Sorachi offers — distinct from coastal Yoichi and from any other Japanese wine region. As one of the more-celebrated 10R alumni, Kondō has helped establish Sorachi inland Pinot Noir as a serious fine-wine identity in its own right.
Details
- Location: Iwamizawa, Sorachi, Hokkaido
- Founder: Ryōsuke Kondō (近藤亮介)
- Background: Burgundy training + 10R alumni
- Specialty: Pinot Noir; aromatic whites
- Style: Natural-leaning; Burgundy-classical structure
Sources