Taste with KJ – Wine & Sake Duos 🍷🍶
For anyone who reads the fine print on our sake reviews, you’ll notice a system known as TASTE MATCH invented by Beau Timken himself years ago when figuring out how to describe sake to wine, beer and food lovers. At True Sake, the taste match phenomenon plays out almost daily, where customers will mention another beverage they like (usually wine) and it will spark a sake swap discussion on the showroom floor.
As an educator of both wine and sake, I love these conundrums that make my brain stretch into creative realms to find the closest sake style for a curious connoisseur's palate. In honor of the Taste Match system and our love for all beverage categories, here are some of my favorite sake alternatives for popular wine styles:
Champagne - Shichiken Usu Nigori Sparkling "Yama no Kasumi": Yamanashi Prefecture, known as the heart of the Japanese wine industry is actually home to Yamanashi Meijo, one of the most prestigious breweries in the region. Their sake brand Shichiken is becoming known for making some of the best sparkling sake in Japan. They’ve been embarking on a truly Japanese approach to bubbly which includes using moromi for secondary fermentation in the bottle, using aged sake for some speciality sparkling blends and even experimenting with barrel aging. Our newest Shichiken offering is their Mori no Kanade sparkling, which is delicately aged in Suntory Hakushu whiskey barrels, creating depth and subtle umami. Through using native Japanese sake techniques in tandem with French processes, they are making sparkling sake that rivals the best vintage Champagnes on the market!
Sancerre - Takenotsuyu Hakuro Suishu Junmai Daiginjo "Winter Water": I like to call this sake the ‘Sancerre of the sake world,’ due to a similar flavor profile including green orchard fruits and minerality. But it also reminds me of Sancerre geographically. While we don’t always talk about the quality of water in wine production since the water comes from inside the grape itself; we do talk about how bodies of water and soil types can affect the terroir and quality of vines. In Sancerre, it's the Sauvignon Blanc grape interacting with the nearby Loire River and the region's flinty, limestone-rich soils full of fossilized seashells. When I first met Masao Aisawa, President of Takenotsuyu Brewery, he proudly gave me an isshobin-sized (1.8L) bottle of pure water from a spring underneath Mt. Gassan in Yamagata, which I was told had medicinal effects on the body. This water is used in the graceful and pristine Hakuro Suishu ‘Winter Water.’
German Riesling - Nabeshima Junmai Ginjo "Yamadanishiki": Fukuchiyo Shuzo in Saga Prefecture makes one of the most quintessential examples of the modern style sake. It is peppy, cheerful, and aromatic, with juicy fruit notes that surf along the brew’s zesty medium body. With only one pasteurization and no charcoal filtration, this sake has every chance to express the pretty ginjo-ka that the yeast worked so hard to create. There is a touch of sweetness and a hint of spritz, bringing it right into Riesling territory. Where high acidity serves riesling well, this sake’s liveliness from being pasteurized only once creates textural dimension. All of these attributes remind me of a high quality Riesling of Spätlese ripeness level, which are usually refreshing, highly aromatic and semi-sweet.
White Burgundy - *Miroku Junmai Daiginjo: If there ever were a sake to satisfy the white Burgundy lovers palate, that sake would be Miroku. Kondo Sake Brewery from Niigata Prefecture admits to being inspired by French wine, evident by their very wine-like labeling which features words like ‘estate-bottled’ and presents the local Koshitanrei rice strain front and center. Miroku’s subdued aromatic profile is a nod to Niigata’s classic ‘tanrei karakuchi’ aka ‘light and dry’ style. But instead of being light, it is dry, with almost vanishing aromas of nougat and whipped cream and an incredibly rich, full body. This hefty brew is best chilled to cellar temp (around 50-55F) and paired with your favorite risotto or roast chicken dishes.
*This True Sake exclusive can only be purchased retail from our shop or online store.
Rosé - Shigemasu Red Shiso Junmai Umeshu "Crimson": This newcomer on the sake scene represents tart plum at its finest. The bright acidity and berry notes give a very hibiscus-like element to this sake. The red shiso brings a slight herbal note and depth to this very fun and fresh quaffer. Anyone who loves fruity, deeper hued rosé will fall in love with Crimson. This is also a great option for lovers of Mai Tais and sour beers alike.
Pinot Noir - While it’s very hard to emulate the red fruit and tannic aspects of wine in a sake, it is much easier to highlight the earthy and dank aromas of aged red wine. If you have an aging red with more forest floor or vegetation aromas, those can be mimicked by picking a taruzake which has gone through cedar aging such as Ichinokura Junmai Taru ‘Ace Brewery’.
Earth and mushroom flavors can be achieved through ample amino acids which give us our beloved umami. When a high quality Pinot Noir ages, it loses its primary fruit and develops notes of gourmet mushrooms, tobacco and leather. The brilliant Mantensei Junmai Ginjo "Kinoko" can act as an aged pinot noir in pairing scenarios, while also having the ability to be served at various temperatures. I recommend this one either lightly chilled, room temp or warmed to nurukan (104F).
Cabernet Sauvignon - The question is, are you buying this sake for status or pleasure? The recommendation for either scenario will be different. If you are buying an expensive Napa Cabernet for a special party or to impress guests, I would recommend Born Yume wa Masayume Junmai Daiginjo "Dreams Come True". This beautiful shining gold 1000ml bottle is so impressive, it gives Oscar winner trophy vibes. Beyond its classy exterior, this sake exudes glorious fruit basket aromas paired with an incredibly lush texture. If buying for pleasure with a more modest budget, I will always recommend my favorite sake for wine swap, Omachi rice-based Kuroushi Black Bull. The label has cow written all over it (literally), giving one the feeling that yes, this sake must be perfect with grilled steak or beef-based recipes.
Instead of replacing one beverage for another, we can enjoy the ability of two vastly different categories of alcoholic beverage achieving the same goals via our taste buds! Hear, hear for Taste Match and wine & sake duos!