A regular stop in Tokyo is Eureka, the sake bar of Marie Chiba, perhaps one of the most important ambassadors for sake, especially in the context of food pairing. During a visit in February, we talked about sake production outside Japan, a story of much trial and error.

Especially in Japan, sake produced elsewhere is sometimes viewed with a degree of condescension, and I can understand that to some extent. Too often it is an attempt to replicate Japanese sake: Japanese sake rice is imported (because it is barely grown outside Japan), just like the yeast cultures and koji strains. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly great discoveries to be made, but you are left with the lingering feeling that you have a copy in your glass, and that something in terms of authenticity is missing.

Chiba-san put me on the trail of a new, atypical project: Sake de Bordeaux. She had visited the brewery for its opening in November and had even helped create a sake blend herself. A recommendation from her was reason enough to plan a family holiday in Bordeaux, and a few weeks later, I found myself standing on an industrial estate one morning to visit the smallest brewery I know.

Oda Tomoo has no background in sake, but he knows the wine world like the back of his hand after a career at The Wine Society in the UK. Bordeaux was a logical location for him, perhaps the region with the richest history of viticulture in France, but with a whole series of challenges to reinvent itself. The goal was to produce an authentic sake that you can only find in Bordeaux.

Oda-san therefore consciously chose not to import any Japanese ingredients. He found his rice in the Camargue, specifically Manobi and Selenio. The water comes from the Source des Abatilles, the well-known spring water from Arcachon, characterized by its soft nature — something a sake brewer loves. As a fan of the great white wines of Bordeaux, it was ultimately logical to use wine yeasts for fermentation, which give the sake a unique character: slightly higher in acidity, but with a beautiful balance and expression.

I was particularly surprised by my visit. It is a tiny project, but everything is approached thoughtfully and with the necessary inventiveness. The focus on the result is resolute: the quality must be there, but so must the identity. The ambition is clear: authentic French sake, grounded in local culture and tradition. I am therefore extremely proud to have the opportunity to support this project and invite everyone to discover these beautiful sakes with me!