The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2013

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A lthough just two percent of Japanese saké is exported and only about one third of that is destined for the U.S., the restaurant and retail community in Northern California has access to a treasure trove of premium saké made in a variety of styles and flavors. Artisanal saké is defined as jizake, a term that differentiates regional or locally-brewed sakés from large-scale commercial production. Navigating the regional differences in jizake relies on cultivating an understanding of terroir influences as well as the history behind small, family-owned breweries like the Tomita Brewery in Shiga Prefecture, one of Japan's oldest breweries, founded in the 16th century. Saké's storied history is just one aspect of its appeal, and its growing popularity is driving interest in ricebased spirits like shochu as well. In what amounted to one-stop shopping for Japanese saké, rice-based infused spirits, liqueurs and fruit wines, Young's Market Company recently brought together no fewer than nine different portfolios for an educational seminar and tasting at 111 Mina Gallery in San Francisco. K & L's San Francisco saké buyer Melissa Smith noses Takatenjin's Soul of the Sensei Junmai Daiginjo, which is brewed in memory of the brewery's former master Toji Shokichi Hase. In the foreground are Yuko Hayashi and Yoshi Sako of Izakaya Yuzuki. Saké Superstars Superstar saké educator and consultant John Gauntner shared a 30,000-foot view of both the global and domestic market for saké, as well as Jessica Furui, Saké Director at Ozumo, pouring Joto saké for Lissa Doumani of Terra and Ame Restaurant at the St. Regis Hotel. World-renowned saké expert John Gauntner. the basic production techniques that differentiate saké styles and levels of quality. As founder and president of the Saké Education Council, which offers two levels of saké certification, Gauntner sees education as the key to growing the category. "The wine world is taking saké more seriously now, and premium sakés are readily accessible," he said. Gauntner has lived in Japan since 1988 and sees producers always pushing the limit to create better saké, even though recent loosening of regulations for the entry-level junmai/ honjozo category means consumers need to read labels carefully to know what they're buying. "Saké is a labor-intensive brewing process but methods are individual; experience and intuition guide the brewer." Joining Gauntner was Tamiko Ishidate, Saké Sales Manager for Young's, who covered selling basics that included the dollars and cents of saké by-the-glass programs, which are inherently low-risk and result in higher margins. Ishidate noted that a standard four-ounce saké pour is priced from $7 to $13 a glass and 82  /  the tasting panel  /  july 2013 TP0713_066-99.indd 82 6/24/13 5:49 PM

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