Raise a glass to World Sake Day

October kicks off with World Sake Day – so what better time to turn the spotlight on Japan’s national drink? Also referred to as Japanese rice wine, it’s produced by fermenting rice, in a process more similar to beer production than that of wine.

Sake has been consumed in Japan for centuries and holds significant cultural and ceremonial importance across the country. Sake is primarily made from four key ingredients: rice, water, yeast, and koji mould. The type of rice used, the quality of water, and the specific yeast strains and koji mould used can all affect the flavour and characteristics of the final sake.

The brewing process for sake involves multiple stages, including rice milling, soaking, steaming, and fermentation. Rice is polished to remove the outer layers, leaving behind the starchy core, which is essential for fermentation. The rice is then fermented by the yeast and koji mould over a period of several weeks.

The popularity of Japanese food in the UK, driven by restaurants including Nobu and Zuma, has certainly helped to push sake firmly into the limelight. A couple of decades ago, the quality of sake available was definitely not as diverse as it is now. That, combined with the drink’s short shelf life and the fact that it needs to be kept chilled and consumed within a year has also created its own challenges. But a brilliant new generation of sake makers and distributors that targeted sommeliers as well as just Japanese restaurants have played a huge part in helping sake be taken more seriously.

Many sake fans really enjoy the flavour profiles of sake and newcomers to the drink will discover that there’s a real point of difference to the taste profiles found in wine. In sake, the alcohol level is slightly higher, the sugar levels are much higher, the acidity is much lower and there are distinct umami elements present. So sake can present a whole range of flavours and concepts that mightn’t be possible with wine. There’s a whole world of sake just waiting to be discovered – and World Sake Day is the perfect opportunity to give it a try if you haven’t already!

We spoke with Natsuki Kikuya, Sake Educator at WSET (The Wine & Spirit Education Trust) to find out more about the versatility of sake and how it can be paired with non-Japanese foods. “It’s easy to get drawn into thinking that you can only pair sake with Japanese cuisine” said Kikuya. “But this is most definitely not the case! It’s such a versatile drink that can be enjoyed alongside a whole range of different dishes.” Here are a couple of examples to get you started:

Sake and cheese:
The fact that lactic acid is one of the main acids found in sake means that it’s a drink that can make an excellent accompaniment to dairy products. Bring on the cheeseboard!The following pairings  work particularly well

• Aromatic and fruity daiginjo sake with fresh goat’s cheese or blue cheese
• Rounded and soft junmai sake with Manchego or Gouda
• Kimoto or yamahai, rich in umami, goes so well with Emmental or Comté

Sake and seafood:

Sake contains plenty of umami, which are types of amino acids that expresses delicious savoury flavours. Sake is a great way to cleanse the palate, neutralise the any stong, fishy flavours from the seafood as well as enhancing its savoury elements.

The creamy textures of junmai harmonise well with fresh oysters. Rich but pure ginjo-style sake works brilliantly with the meatiness of lobster or scallops.

Caviar is often considered difficult to pair with wine, but daiginjo contains similar molecules to the fish roe and makes for the perfect pairing.