When Sake Meets Champagne: HEAVENSAKE’s East–West Alchemy

Legendary Champagne cellar master Regis Camus employs traditional assemblage techniques to HEAVENSAKE releases.

HEAVENSAKE

The fine art of sake brewing is a Japanese tradition that stretches back centuries. In fact, the fermented beverage has changed very little since before the Common Era, maintaining a basic recipe that relies on rice, water, yeast and koji. Along the way it has assumed the mantle of sacred ritual–present in religious offerings; an embodiment of a bond between friends and family. It is as more about connection than it is about intoxication.

This enduring aura is what initially attracted Carl Hirschmann to the category. Nevertheless, the French-Swiss entrepreneur and creative director believed that he could bring a respectful measure of innovation to an otherwise guarded convention.

“The original spark came from the fact that all Heavensake founders were French,” he recalls. “We understood that the cultural connection and mutual respect between Japan and France was something that could create a wonderful story, open doors and lay the grounds for fascinating interactions.”

He wondered, what if assemblage–the time-tested blending technique of Champagne–was applied to sake-making? If nothing else, it would form a way in which the drink could sensibly reach a new audience, one that’s far more familiar with fine wine than fermented rice.

Luckily, he had some high-profile connections of his own to help make this vision a reality. He enlisted the expertise of Régis Camus, one of the most awarded cellar masters in all of Champagne. In 2016, passion and promise converged in a unique venture known as Heavensake.

Nearly a decade in, the brand has recorded many significant milestones in its mission: a trio of top-scoring junmai bottlings, placement on the counter of coveted omakases across the globe, and art-driven activations in markets where sake never before enjoyed footholds.

Now Heavensake is soaring to new height. This May it debuted its rarest and most exclusive offering to date. Noguchi Prestige is a limited edition release crafted by Noguchi Naohiko, a 92-year-old industry icon commonly regarded as the pre-eminent sake brewer in all of Japan. The 37-proof liquid was built from Yamada Nishiki, Omachi, and Miyamanishiki rice grain varieties, each one renowned for its delicate and distinctive characteristics.

When blended by the capable hands of Camus, it exudes aromas of slate and rose petal. Atop the palate, a parade of tropical fruit and marzipan march in subtle succession before surrendering to earthier, umami-elements in a nuanced finish. The contemplative sipper shows best in a slightly chilled wine glass, served alongside fatty, raw fish.

In a career spanning more than 70 years, Noguchi-san has never before created a top-shelf sake for another house. The rarity of the occasion is reflected in its packaging; opaque white decanters hand-thrown at Arita Porcelain Lab, Japan’s oldest purveyor of the vessels. A total of 1000 bottles will be available worldwide.

In celebration of the marquee moment for the brand, Hirschmann and Camus sat down with Forbes to discuss this once-in-a-lifetime partnership, the connection between blender and brewer and what’s next for luxury sake.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What parallels exist between sake and Champagne that made this collaboration not only possible, but creatively exciting?

Carl Hirschmann: “I think there are several elements, the tradition, the dedication to a form of art and the technical complexity. They are both engineered in ways that are quite fascinating. The creative process happens already when we choose the brewery. Every brewery has a certain taste profile and identity, and by choosing the brewery, we already define a flavor and fragrance which is going to be the ground on which we build. Then there is the layer of the Heavensake identity: a floral nose, a fruity mouth, a silky mouthfeel, and a lingering aftertaste. The reality is that it is Régis’s magic that brings it all together into a harmonious composition, similar to how you would put together a symphony where all the single elements harmoniously contribute to a final outcome.”

From a blending and structural perspective, how is working with sake different, or similar, to working with champagne?

Régis Camus: “The first step was always to define the style of Heavensake. After many tastings of different sakes, we decided that the Heavensake range would be only Junmais [wine only, no added spirit]; floral, fruity, freshness, length, minerality and always a silky side in the mouth–never the burning side of alcohol. One of the principles of blending is that one plus one does not make two but much more. A blend is like a puzzle where each element will bring its characteristics to finally obtain the desired style. It is the same principle as in Champagne where each base wine of the three grape varieties–Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Meunier–will contribute its stone to the building.”

For those new to premium sake, how should they approach tasting this release?

CH: “The nose is very important, which is why we insist on people drinking it out of wine glasses. Even in Japan, the greatest sake is still drunk in ochoko porcelain cups. This can indeed be a beautiful experience, but at the same time, it almost completely removes the sensory experience of smell. So for us, given the importance that Régis puts on the floral nose and the unique composition of the assemblage in that regard, it is essential to drink out of a wine glass to experience all the different fragrances. Regarding the taste, we always tell people not to think too much about it. It’s a very simple and natural feeling. Let yourself be guided by how it tastes. It’s a very instinctive reaction.”

What distinguishes each successive assemblage from previous releases — both in terms of flavor profile and philosophy? Are you looking for consistency or individual expressiveness from release to release?

CH: “It’s always a bit of a dance between the identity of the brewery, the identity of Heavensake, creating something that is unique while at the same time in harmony with the rest of the portfolio. It is always a little adventure that we start on an unknown path of where the destination will be. But there is always a moment where everyone in the room knows that this is the perfect assemblage. That is what guides us.”

Régis, you are an iconic figure in the world of champagne. What drew you to sake and what surprised you most while working with it?

RC: “My job as cellar master has taken me to Japan about twenty times. It’s a country that fascinates me with its culture and gastronomy, and I love the rigor of the Japanese. I have visited all the breweries we work with and, above all, developed close relationships with the tojis and even the owners. We have complete trust in the brewery’s toji and respect their expertise. It is important when we start a collaboration with a new brewery to know each other well and trust each other. This is the most vital step.”

Is there one moment that stands out above the rest during your collaborations?

RC: “There have been so many great memories from the various collaborations over all these years. But the greatest memory to date is meeting Noguchi-san. Despite coming from two different cultures, we shared an immediate understanding and mutual respect.”

How will Heavensake continue to position itself at the junction of tradition and innovation?

CH: “Well, we actually don’t really like to use the formulation of ‘tradition and innovation,’ as it is overused. Assemblage in itself is an old technique, and though it is an innovation to bring it to sake, we dont really use that word. We’re very proud to have been the first one to do it, and to now see many other breweries apply assemblage techniques and write the word ‘assemblage’ on their bottles. But what really matters is the art of Régis. That is what wins the hearts of all the tojis and where the soul and essence of Heavensake lays.”