From the beginning, Yoshi knew what he wanted to do. He has always been deliberate in his intentions, yet never in a contrived, hurried, or abrasive way; he has high goals toward which he tirelessly strives, guided by a noble philosophy.

He and his wife Kyoko settled in Central Otago as a matter of planned coincidence. Having traveled throughout France, both working at cult biodynamic/organic domaines that make fine natural wines such as Jean-Pierre Frick (Alsace) and Jean-Yves Bizot (Vosne-Romanée), they hoped to one day make their own wines in a place that would be open to talents and dreams. Yoshi happened to know a few people in Central Otago, which by then was not only one of the most promising new winemaking regions, but also one which was renowned for its Pinot Noir. And so that is where Yoshi and Kyoko put down roots, so to speak.

Even so, Yoshi had a different ambition.

Having worked with famous natural wine domaines, he aspired to also work in a totally natural way, in order to fully express terroir nuances. This essentially meant clean, sustainable viticulture combined with non-interventionist cellar practices. “We can make obvious, fruity wines, but in order to make wines of precision, we have to be very careful. Growing grapes here is easy, making elegant wines is not,” he explained.

Yoshi has taken his time to develop a detailed understanding of each of the vineyards with which he works, and always harvests with extreme care. Fermented whole-bunch with indigenous yeasts and pretty much left as undisturbed as possible in the cellar, all of his wines clearly exhibit distinct terroir characteristics.

As might be expected, Yoshi avoids using additives during vinification and maturation in barrels. If absolutely required, he uses just a homeopathic trace of sulphur at bottling, as he believes a conventional dosage of sulphur would disturb the natural microbial equilibrium and interfere with the original natural ferment flavour. He is nothing if not exacting and highly minimalist.

Our goal is to make wines which can heal people; soft, delicate, supple, smooth mouth-filling wines rather than powerful, heavily structured, aggressive wines. — Yoshiaki Sato

As with the best biodynamic/organic wines, energy — and a haunting soulfulness — is what sets Yoshi’s wines apart. Sato wines taste alive, replete with complex aromatics that inform you of much more than just fruits.

Yoshi makes exceptional wines in both colours, but since he’s based in Central Otago our focus often gravitates towards his Pinot Noirs. He more than impresses with this grape, achieving uncommon transparency, lightness and delicacy compared to his neighbours. His delicious, addictive Pinots brim with flavours and are lifted by heaps of freshness. And, defying the common perception of typical Central Otago Pinot Noirs, Sato’s Pinots do age admirably. If you’re fortunate enough to have stashed away some of his older vintages, you’ll understand what we’re talking about.

Having noticed that recent vintages were yielding naturally more structured fruit, Yoshi had been thinking about how to nurture more immediately approachable and expressive pinots without sacrificing ageability. He decided to invest in a basket press, and 2016 was the first time he used this laborious tool to press his grapes, in order to make gentler and finer wines.

Yoshiaki and Kyoko Sato

With Sato, one will encounter exacting artisanal natural wines par excellence that are redolent of soil expression and highlight Central Otago’s potential as a serious source of top quality fine wines.

Yoshi remains steadfast in his quest to make ever finer wines with each new vintage, and these latest releases are a true delight.

The wines are now available in-stock. The offer prices here are valid until 23 October 2020. Orders will be processed subject to remaining availability and final written confirmation. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice has been sent to confirm the order. No further discount. All terms and conditions apply.