Taste with KJ – Sip Somm Sake & Wine Tasting Edition

It’s hard to believe that just over a decade ago, I was entering the sake industry with little more than a solid wine background and a short stint in underground theater. When starting my wine career in New York City, I could already tell that sake had made a small, yet significant splash on the metropolis with legendary Sake Bar Decibel christening the East Village in the early ’90s, as well as Tony Yoshida’s “Little Tokyo” on Stuyvesant Street. Beau Timken led the charge on the West Coast with our beloved True Sake in 2002, and many industry disciples followed suit thereafter. I imagine sake seemed like a new frontier back then, with very few participants and a long road to travel. But what was simmering was the beverage world’s next big thing. It would only be a matter of time before the wine world would take notice of sake, with its alluring historic roots paired with a youthful, feisty energy. With wine markets mature across the world and their core demographic drinking less without younger generations to fill the gap, major concepts and players from other sides of the beverage industry are noticing sake as it begins to take flight internationally. 

Like it or not, the wine world is coming for sake. This means that this tiny industry is increasingly being influenced by the expertise of larger market segments. Most famously, we have Richard Geoffroy, the former Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, whose project IWA is introducing the idea of assemblage 'vintages' with prices that appreciate. Regional designations called GIs, or 'Geographical Indications,' are emerging in Japan. Modeled on European wine designations like France’s Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée system, sake products under a GI umbrella maintain the integrity of regional production standards and are protected by international law.

Wine concepts are also reshaping production styles both in Japan and abroad. Some brewers are eschewing cultivated yeast strains in favor of ambient yeast fermentations, resulting in funky, 'natural' wine-like sakes. Others are mimicking a refreshing white wine effect by leaving a touch of natural carbonation and pasteurizing only once. For classic wine influence, we have the Japan Awasake Association supporting celebrated brewers such as Yamanashi Meijo Co. and Nagai Sake Inc. in crafting world-class sparkling sake that rival the best Champagnes. 

While wine traditions continue to infuse and elevate the industry, the reality is that sake’s global revenue share is well under 1%. That means over 99% of the alcoholic beverages people consume across the world are not sake. But that prospect is exciting. Unless your friends and family live in a major city, they probably haven’t had much sake in their lives. There is something so rewarding about discovering a product first and being the one to share it with others. With Japanese tourism reaching historic heights in the past decade, people are inspired to relive their travels and continue learning. But how can one start exploring this complex beverage category? 

That’s where Sip Somm - Sake & Wine Tasting comes in. Driven by a wave of enthusiasm and innovation in sake, spanning from prestigious high-end bottles to avant-garde, natural expressions, sake appeals to every sector of legal drinking age consumers. There is something for everyone! 

The concept for Sip Somm - Sake & Wine Tasting was born at the end of 2020, following a tumultuous year in the hospitality industry. Landing one of the most coveted wine jobs in San Francisco exactly two weeks before the 2020 shelter-in-place mandate felt like a high-stakes twist of fate. I endured ten months of relentless restaurant closures and the pre-vaccine stress of a high-volume hospitality environment before amicably calling it quits. Somehow, this transition inspired an opening of sorts and a new direction. Sip Somm initially started as a YouTube channel and a way to taste through videos with participants who were stuck at home. I gave weekly beverage recommendations ahead of time, then posted the videos so viewers could taste along. It was a passion project that served a meaningful purpose. During those months spent waiting for a vaccine, it kept my mood and creative spirit alive and hopefully did the same for everyone who tuned in.

Sip Somm as a name is self-explanatory. Somm is short for “sommelier” and what do they do? They sip for a living! Although there is a secret meaning baked into the name, so I would remember how it all started. “Sip” is actually referring to “shelter-in-place,” the order which prompted its invention. So I am really the “Shelter-in-Place Somm” or the Somm that works from “home” or outside of a restaurant setting. 

The interesting thing is that as this project evolved, the concept of being home took hold. I have since left YouTube behind and now do private events featuring wine, sake or both. Even though I have clocked many more hours in the wine business, I am much more popular as a sake specialist than a wine professional. I am one of the few lucky sommeliers to have a deep understanding and extensive tasting background in both wine and sake. I thank all of my prior employers and bosses for granting me that experience! When booking an event with Sip Somm, you are inviting years of expertise into your home for a personally curated experience. 

Using wine as a guidepost to understanding sake is a perfect way to start your journey. If you have a favorite wine, I can find you a sake that can work the same magic, whether it's a pre-dinner quaffer or to pair with your favorite foods. This is taking Beau Timken’s Tastematch™ system to the next level. Learn about Tastematch here!

People who love sake usually start with either beer or wine, then jump over the fence. Sip Somm makes that jump a whole lot easier with fun facts, pairing exercises and as heavy of an educational angle as you’re willing to put up with! 

📅 Save the Date! 🍷🍶

• When: Saturday, November 21st from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

• Where: True Sake

I look forward to seeing you there! If you are interested in learning more about me or would like to set up a future private tasting, please visit my website and send me an inquiry. I would love to help you create your next sake adventure. Kanpai!

For upcoming tasting events and sake & wine recs, follow me on Instagram @sipsommkj and @sipsomm.sake.wine