Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/430172
december 2014 / the tasting panel / 89 O n the eve of the fourth annual World Saké Sommelier Competition, Toshio Ueno, Executive Instructor for Los Angeles–based Saké School of America, poured a cup of Jyuyondai Honmaru—a rare honjozo saké made using the Tamagaeshi ("soul restoring") method—and explains what's at stake. "Saké imports to the United States have doubled over the last ten years, but service is becoming an issue. Restaurateurs are beginning to understand that they cannot afford to be compla- cent." The leesy, caramelized pineapple, shiso leaf and umami flavors in the Jyuyondai Honmaru further emphasized his points; advancing the appreciation for a unique product of this caliber requires both knowledge and skill. With America's growing interest in saké the traditional spirit has broadened its footprint as more and more restaurants find new ways to serve the traditional beverage with a wide variety of cuisines–Western and Asian alike. And as the demand for saké grows, restaurants and bars have become more serious about learning about how to sell and serve saké, turning to ongoing training and education for their staff and guests. "The popularity of sushi over the last 20 years has helped speed the adoption of saké," says Ueno. "But there's confusion around saké grades and we're still battling misconceptions about service." With organizations such as the Saké School of America stepping up to the plate to further the category's development and with increasing international events and education, saké has taken the world by storm. Narrowing the Field Of the 25 saké sommeliers (or kikisaké-shi) gathered in Tokyo for the semi-final and final rounds of the 2014 competition, many were seasoned competitors who emerged victorious from the seven regional competitions held earlier in the year by Japan's oldest and largest educational body for saké and shochu, the Saké Service Institute (SSI). Regional competitions held in South Korea and Taiwan produced two contestants, and in July, Ueno—himself a Master Saké Sommelier—and the Saké School of America conducted regional competitions in Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago. Semi-final Team America's Aya Nomoto, Business Development Manager for Saké and Asian Beverages at Wirtz Distributing in Las Vegas; sixth-place finisher Jaime Graves, General Manager and Sommelier at SakaMai in New York; Bradley Daniel Smith, a Sommelier with the John Howie restaurant group in Seattle, all mentored by Master Sake Sommelier of Saké School of America, Toshio Ueno.