The Fine Sake Awards was inaugurated in 2011 and has become one of the biggest sake competitions in Japan with about 200 breweries nationwide handing in some 300 items in total.
Japanese cuisine including sushi, which first gained popularity in the US and Europe, is now widespread all across the globe and easily enjoyed in many cities in the world. During the process, sake interacted with foreign cultures and diets, which resulted in inventions like new combinations of sake and food. The best finding, however, was the advantage of drinking a wineglass of sake. Fragrance and visual effects of sake will be highly appreciated that way.
Wineglass helps you sense subtle aroma, colors, and viscosity of sake which you could not fully recognize in traditional sake vessels. Many Japanese were amazed to know that a glass of sake, in some cases, tasted more graceful than a small cup of sake. The wineglass, extracting inner characters of sake, did turn out to be its best partner and is expected to further prevail.
The Fine Sake Awards Japan does not solely focus on assessing the quality of sake. This blind tasting competition is supported by specialists who recognized the advantage of sake in a wineglass and joined hands to promote the popularity of sake and its culture not to mention spreading the new wonders of sake.
We sincerely hope our endeavor will go a long way and sake in a wineglass will become widespread. We believe this will help Japan’s soul beverage sake recognized more and its culture handed down to future generations.
Entry Guidelines
Judges: Team Leaders / Members
Categories
a. Main Category: Priced 2,600 JPY or below for 1.8L and medium bottle available
b. Sparkling Sake Category: Meet refined sake standards (no coloration, acidulant, or artificial fragrance: Priced 1,960 JPY or below for720ml)
c. Premium Dai Ginjo Category: Medium bottles available
d. Premium Junmai Category: Medium bottles available
e. Premium Sparkling Sake Category: Meet refined sake standards (no coloration, acidulant, or artificial fragrance
Examination Method: Seven scale evaluation by blind sensory test in a Riedel wine glass
Award: Grand Gold medal (Top 5%) , Gold medal (Next 25% following Top 5%)
Organizer: The Fine SAKE Awards Japan Executive Committee
Special Supporter: RSN Japan (RIEDEL) Co., Ltd.
Official Supporter: Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association
Examination Procedures
Examination Method: Seven scale evaluation by blind sensory test in a Riedel wine glass
Results and Grand Gold Medal Awards Ceremony 2020
The committee received 897 entries of 259 breweries in 2020 (the tenth year of this event). A fair and strict examination was conducted on February 14, which resulted in 24 Grand Gold Medals and 242 Gold Medals (award rate 29.7%).
Visit List of Winners of Fine Sake Awards 2020 Website
