Sake for Wine People: Luxury Bottles, Unique Comparisons in Amsterdam

This is not a typical sake tasting.

We have curated a lineup of sakes that connect directly with the wine world — from a former Dom Pérignon Chef de Cave’s ambitious project, to Champagne cask-aged sake, to natural and aged expressions rarely seen outside Japan.

Alongside these sakes, you will also taste a German Chardonnay, allowing you to compare acidity, structure, and food pairings in a way you won’t find anywhere else.

This is a one-night-only workshop, designed to surprise wine lovers and sake enthusiasts alike.

🎯 Who Should Join

• Wine lovers who are curious about sake but haven’t explored it deeply yet
• Those who usually drink authentic, classic sake but are looking for something new
• Anyone who wants to experience rare bottles hard to find in the Netherlands
• Those eager to taste “conversation pieces” like IWA 5 or the Henri Giraud × Masuizumi collaboration
• People who enjoy high-end restaurant experiences but want to try them in a relaxed workshop setting
• international wine and sake lovers looking to broaden their social circle through unique tasting experiences

✨ What You’ll Gain

• Knowledge of sake explained through the lens of wine — acidity, blending, aging, cask influence, temperature
• Insights and discussion led by a guide experienced in both sake and wine
• The chance to taste luxury-level bottles normally reserved for fine-dining restaurants
• Memorable stories and talking points that make sake approachable and relevant for wine lovers

🍶 What You’ll Experience

• Comparisons between authentic sake styles and new, wine-inspired expressions
• Sharing luxury sake bottles that most of us wouldn’t normally open alone
• Guidance from an expert fluent in both the sake and wine worlds
• Networking with fellow sake and wine lovers in an international setting

🥂 The Lineup

🍶IWA 5 Assemblage 4

Created by Richard Geoffroy, the legendary former Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon.

Each Assemblage is blended to be different, carrying the Champagne philosophy of complexity and balance into sake.

A luxury bottle normally reserved for fine dining restaurants and special occasions.

🍶Henri Giraud × Masuizumi

A collaboration between the Champagne house Henri Giraud and Masuizumi, a historic brewery from Toyama, Japan.

Aged in Argonne oak barrels previously used for Champagne, this sake shows toasty, nutty, and fruity notes integrated with elegant acidity — a true bridge between wine and sake.

🍶Echigo Tsurukame – Junmai Ginjo (Wine Yeast)

Brewed with wine yeast, creating a crisp acidity and aromatic profile reminiscent of white wine.

An innovative style that lets you taste what happens when sake is fermented with wine-making yeast.

🍶Senkin Organic Nature

Brewed with ancient rice “Kamenoo” polished only to 90%, using natural yeast and a traditional kimoto starter.

A vibrant, unfiltered expression that feels alive in the glass — a sake that speaks the same language as natural wine.

🍶Hanatomoe Kijōshu

Crafted in the spirit of Sauternes, balancing rich sweetness with lifted acidity.

Designed as a dessert-style sake, pairing beautifully with cheese or sweets.

🍶Aged Sake (e.g. Kotori no Sato 2017)

Unlike typical young sake, this has been deliberately aged, developing flavors of dried fruit, nuts, and soy-sauce-like depth.

Best experienced warm, and compared directly with how aged wines evolve.

🍶Shichiken Junmai Daiginjo

A classic style of Japanese sake from Yamanashi Meijo. Known for its collaboration with Alain Ducasse, this bottle is included as a benchmark sake for comparison with the others.

🍶Heitlinger Hilsbach Chardonnay Reserve 2022 (Baden, Germany)

A German Chardonnay with high acidity, minerality, and ripe fruit.

Served alongside the sakes to highlight similarities and differences in structure, balance, and food pairing.

📍 Location & Details

• Utage Sake Bar – Amsterdam’s premier sake destination
• Sunday, October 19th | 3:00–5:00 PM
• €70 per person (includes all tastings and light bites)
• Please note: we are unable to provide gluten-free options