Friday Night Wine School with Sake Samurai Chris Johnson

Join us for our attendance-limited, signup-only Friday night tasting!  Tastings are held on the back patio with a max of 10 people per time slot.

As much as we love sake here at Swirl, we understand that purchasing it can be intimidating - the labels are confusing, the information mysterious - how many times have you looked at sake on display in a store and walked away? It’s just so…foreign. And unfortunately as Americans, most of us are familiar with sake in its most common form – at the sushi restaurant, served in a plain white carafe, and usually piping hot. Drinking this type of low quality, “house” sake warm is a must, as it masks the flaws and takes the sharp edge off some of the harsher flavors. It is generally of the lowest quality, sometimes described as “jet fuel” by sake aficionados.

Premium sake is a lot like quality wine - just like great wines are defined by their terroir, premium sake is defined by local geography, the ingredients (water, rice, koji and yeast), and the personality and skills of the brewmaster, or toji, all of which play a role in shaping the palate.  These sakes tend to have much more elegant and subtle flavors carefully curated by the brewers, and heating will potentially destroy those flavors.  Depending on the yeast used and the polishing level of the rice, some can be more light and fruity while others more savory and full.  It is a complex beverage that is fantastic for food pairings and not just with Asian food.

Always looking for educational opportunities, we are excited to hold our first sake focused Friday Night Wine School with Chris Johnson from World Sake Imports.  Chris is a saké sommelier certified by the Saké Service Institute and a certified WSET Level 3 Saké Educator and in 2013 earned the distinguished title of Saké Samurai.  He'll discuss how sake is made, the different quality levels and styles, along with wine parallels and pairings.  We hope you'll join us!

-We will hold our tasting outside on the patio from 5:30 PM to 8 PM on Fridays weather permitting, if it rains we move inside to the back of the shop.
-Your $5 tasting fee is refunded when you purchase a bottle of wine from the tasting. Limit 1 refund per bottle per customer.
-Please arrive 5 minutes early for you time slot as we may not be able to move you to another spot.
-No waiting in line for your taste of wine in a plastic cup and snippet of info. During your time slot you will have the presenter's undivided attention as you learn about and taste the wines from Riedel glassware.
-When your tasting is over you can browse and shop or enjoy a glass or bottle at our indoor and outdoor tables.