Sake Master Class in Ecuador: Educating 46 Sommeliers from 26 Countries on Japanese Sake
December 5th – On October 31, the JSS, in collaboration with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and the Ecuadorian Sommelier Association, organized a sake master class in Ecuador for 46 participants from 26 countries. This master class was part of the ASI Bootcamp and marked the JSS’s first such program in Latin America. The diverse group included knowledgeable sommeliers such as Pascaline Lepeltier, the Best Sommelier of France, and Veronique Rivest, the Best Sommelier of Canada, both serving as tutors for the ASI Bootcamp.
Although Latin America accounted for less than 1% of all sake exports in 2022, the value of sake exports to the region tripled between 2013 and 2022, because of the growing consumption. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, where the master class was held, houses a top-class Japanese restaurant featured in the Best 50 Discovery of The World’s Best 50 Restaurants sponsored by William Reed. In Chile, Japanese-style cuisine, known as nikkei, is gaining popularity. Sake production is spreading
Brazil, Mexico, and Chile, where it is consumed locally. In 2021, a Sake category was introduced within the wine category of the Catad’Or World Wine Awards, attracting 13 sake breweries to participate in the competition’s inaugural year. While Latin America is an undeveloped area for sake in terms of export value, the base of Japanese food and sake is steadily expanding.
The master class in Ecuador was led by Michael Tremblay, the James Beard Foundation Award winning co-author of the book ‘Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth’ (published by Tuttle Publishing in 2022) alongside journalist Nancy Matsumoto. Tremblay also serves as a Panel Chair for the International Wine Challenge held in London and Japan, in addition to his role at the North American support desk of the JSS.
The session covered the sake production process, various aspects of sake, and explored potential food pairings with a focus on Umami.
Umami, the savory taste, originates from amino acids like glutamic acid found in foods like dried mushrooms, dried tomatoes, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Sake contains approximately five times more amino acids, especially glutamate, than white wine, making it rich in Umami and capable of enhancing the flavors of a meal. Mr. Tremblay highlighted that successful food pairing depends on the synergy between Japanese sake, rich in glutamate and dishes containing inosinic acid. In the master class, the scientific mechanism of pairing sake with fish, a forte of sake, was also clarified. Fish contains unsaturated fatty acids, which, when combined with iron and sulfur dioxide, contribute to the so-called ‘fishy smell. Wine contains a certain amount of iron and sulfite making it challenging to pair with fish. However, sake is brewed with water that contains almost no iron for quality preservation, and it does not use sulfites. Consequently, sake is structurally designed to not produce the fishy smell. This is the essence of the pairing of sake and fish.
Michael Tremblay introduced the tradition of “enjoying sake at different temperatures” in connection with food pairing. Sake has a wide range of serving temperatures, from 5°C to 55°C, each with its own name. For example, 5°C is called “snow,” 10°C “flower,” and 30°C “sunny.” An important point emphasized in this master class was that the sweetness and umami of sake increase as the serving temperature rises, expanding the possibilities of food pairing.
After the seminar, Michael Tremblay was asked about the topics that participants found most interesting. He replied, “For most, learning that sake is so versatile and can complement so many different cuisines was eye-opening. Particularly, sommeliers seemed very interested in the idea that you can shape a sake’s profile by serving it at a variety of temperatures. In addition, the topic of umami is rarely discussed in the wine world as wine has relatively low levels of it. Thus, this allowed for fresh thinking when it comes to exploring food and alcoholic beverages.”
One seminar participant, a representative from the Front of House at Alchemist, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Copenhagen, found the explanation of the sake production process at the beginning of the seminar most interesting. The head sommelier of Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, one of Colombia’s high-end restaurants, expressed interest in Umami and the theory of pairing, wishing there had been more time for the seminar.
Michael Tremblay spoke of the first sake masterclass in Latin America, stating, “Having so many up and-coming sommeliers and veteran sommeliers in one place was a great opportunity to engage them in the fascinating world of Japanese sake. This was a great opportunity to light a spark in their sake interest,” he concluded.
Latin America is not only a region with low wine consumption in terms of alcohol, but Brazil, boasting the largest economy and alcohol consumption in the area, sees wine accounting for a mere 3% of the composition ratio. Michael Tremblay also highlighted the challenging environment for sake consumption in Latin America, citing competition with other alcoholic beverages. Through this master class, many sommeliers were able to discover the enjoyment of pairing sake with its Umami rich characteristics, understanding how the flavor of sake changes at different temperature ranges. As the JSS, we hope that in the future, in Latin America, as many consumers as possible will have the opportunity to experience the charm of sake and actually enjoy drinking it.
