Deja vu Wine Co. & Deja vu Sake Co. Japanese Sake Trade Tasting Events
Deja vu Wine Co. and Deja vu Sake Co. are delighted to introduce you to an exciting and pioneering group of Japanese Sake makers, who are focused on blending innovative techniques and technology with traditional sake-making methods, to reintroduce Japanese sake to the world stage.
Discover a wide selection of premium Sake varieties and engage with the passionate Sake makers themselves.
Learn about the intricate brewing process, taste different Sake types, and gain a deeper understanding of this traditional Japanese beverage.
Experience the Deja Vu Wine Co. & Deja vu Sake Co. Sake Trade Event and indulge in an unforgettable journey through the world of Sake.
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and appreciation for this beloved Japanese drink.
Mark your calendars and join us for a delightful day filled with Sake exploration!
HOBART – 1st September
MELBOURNE – 4th September
SYDNEY – 5th September
BRISBANE – 7th September
HOBART
Date: Friday, September 1st
Time: 11:00 am to 15:00 pm AEST
Venue: Bar Wa Izakaya
216-218 Elizabeth Street Hobart
MELBOURNE
Date: Monday, September 4th
Time: 11:00 am to 15:00 pm AEST
Venue: Kisumé
175 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
SYDNEY
Date: Tuesday, September 5th
Time: 11:00 am to 15:00 pm AEST
Venue: Kuro Bar & Dining
368 Kent Street, Sydney
BRISBANE
Date: Thursday, September 7th
Time: 11:00 am to 15:00 pm AEST
Venue: Hotel X
458 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Sake Makers
AMANOTO
Established in 1917, Amanoto’s brewery is located in Akita in the snowy, northern part of Japan and they are the smallest of Akita’s 47 breweries. Being such a small producer, everything used in their sake making is truly local.
All the ingredients for Amanoto Sake are sourced within 5 km from the brewery, including melted mountain snow water and locally grown rice, their Sake is a true testament to terroir.
Amanoto only brews Junmaishu, which shows fresh steamed rice character with a complex and sophisticated palate
DEWAZAKURA
Established in 1892, Dewazakura Sake Brewery is located in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, a small town of 60,000 residents located 300 kilometres north of Tokyo.
Situated in the Yamagata Basin and surrounded by high mountains, Tendo City is hot in summer, and in winter can receive considerable snowfall, often exceeding one metre in depth.
These natural features, including the climate, have made the region a major production centre of rice, fruits and other products.
Dewazakura has played a significant role in the Yamagata prefecture developing their own rice suited to their region with the local agricultural bureau, are known for their distinctive ‘fragrant’ Sake, which can be attributed to their yeast selection as well as their low -temperature fermentation techniques.
FUKUJU
Established in 1751, Fukuju is located in Kobe, once known as Nada, which has a long history and is famous for the quality of its Sake. The region around Kobe is still known as Nada in the ‘sake world’ and is the #1 region in Japan for the production of Sake, producing about 25% of Sake in Japan.
The house style is very elegant. The water in Nada/Kobe is called Miyamizu, and it is hard water by Japanese standards, full of minerals and is famous water in the ‘sake world’. Nada regional style is dry and has a good grip with spiciness.
Fukuju has a long history, as the current owner is the 13th generation, but the brand combines tradition with a modern approach really well.
Their innovative blue UV-cut special bottles are seen at the Nobel Prize dinner in Sweden, and their environmentally conscious approach to every aspect of their Sake making is highly praised.
HOURAISEN
Houraisen was established in 1864 in the Prefecture of Aichi, about halfway between Tokyo and Osaka.
Houraisen owns about 29 hectares of their own rice paddocks and grows rice suited to the region.
Over the past 20 years Houraisen in collaboration with the local agricultural bureau has developed a strain of rice most suited to their mountainous terrain – Yumesansui.
The brewery and water source are located in the mountains at around 500 metres above sea level, so the climate is cool at night. The water source available to Houraisen is some of the softest water in Japan, and it has no magnesium or calcium which means the Sake they produce is very ‘soft’.
Whilst over 150 years old, Houraisen is now considered one of the most modern and innovative Sake producers in Japan.
KENBISHI
Established in 1505, Kenbishi is the oldest existing brewery in the Nada Region, and the 4th oldest brewery in Japan. The logo on their label today was trademarked in 1505 and was the first trademark in Sake history.
They produce a very unique style of Sake, continuing to use the Yamahai method, and using wild yeast and natural fermentation, with famous hard water from Nada called Miyamizu. The high mineral content of this water encourages strong fermentation and makes the Sake dry.
Their house style is dry with an aged character, with high acidity and umami. In Japanese history, many famous people including Samurai and Geiko loved Kenbishi, it is one of a kind.
KUNIZAKARI
Kunizakari was established in 1844 in Handa City, Aichi. Handa City is situated on the Chita peninsula, about 380km southwest of Tokyo.
Handa experiences consistent warm weather (the average temperature is 15.5 degrees per year) and has lots of natural water in the city.
Kunizakari keeps its tradition, whilst welcoming modern techniques to make quality Sake.
Kunizakari acknowledges that people’s taste changes and so the brewery adapts to meet what the market wants. Since the late 1980s, Kunizakari had extended their range of products to include more casual Sake based drinks as well as medal-winning premium Sake.
SHICHIDA
Established in 1875, Shichida Sake is created by Tenzan Shuzo in Saga on the southern island of Kyushu.
The current owner is 6th generation, and they have been growing their own rice since 1998, and use 70% local rice in their Sake.
Unlike the northern parts of Japan, it does not get too cold in winter. The technique of sake-making is different as a result. They use the relatively warmer temperature to their advantage.
Shichida’s house style is juicy and full-flavoured with good structure.
They do not take a charcoal filter process for all their sake so lots of flavour remain in Sake, and the structure in sake comes from local medium hard local mineral water.
TENGUMAI
Tengumai was founded in 1823 in the late Edo period. The present head is the 8th generation.
Back then, the Kura (brewery) was surrounded by dense forest where Tengu (a Japanese mystical being, a long-nosed goblin with mysterious power) seemed to exist.
Since its foundation, the Shata family has been brewing Sake in this beautiful pastoral area surrounded by mountains which provide pure local water.
Tengumai, amongst a selection of premium Sakes, produces Yamahai Sake which is very well known and respected, matches many different foods, and has distinct flavour, texture and taste.
TSUKINOKATSURA
Established in 1675 in Fushimi, which is the most famous Sake region in Kyoto prefecture and is located around Kyoto city, Tsukinokatsura is the oldest sake brewery in the region, with so much history.
The Fushimi region is the second largest producing region after Nada (Hyogo).
Fushimi is well known for its soft water as a result of being in a valley and surrounded by low mountains, so the rainwater does not pick up much mineral content.
Tsukinokatsura is very closely involved with rice growing in the region with contracted rice farmers producing sake rice called Iwai (Kyoto’s original rice which is only grown here) with pesticide-free cultivation. Almost all of their Sake is produced from locally grown rice.
The house style of Tsukinokatsura shows true rice character, and the mouthfeel is amazingly coating and warm and is a very charming sake style.
YOSHINOGAWA
Established in 1548, Yoshinogawa is located in the Niigata Prefecture in the small city of Nagaoka City and, is now in the hands of the 20th generation of the Kawakami Family. It is 5th oldest existing Sake brewery in Japan.
Yoshinogawa is one of the largest sake producers in the Niigata prefecture which is a well-known major premium rice producing area. Yoshinogawa is also the oldest sake producer in Niigata.
The region is known for its crisp, clean sake with a dry finish.
Almost all of the rice used comes from the Niigata prefecture, and they have strict quality controls over the rice that is used.
Recently, Yoshinogawa started to grow their own Sake rice such as Gohyakumangokuin 2016 and they now use their own rice in 10% of their production.
