SakéOne

“It is kind to my head, stomach, and nose, lifts my spirits without causing inebriation, and never leaves me hung over. I think this must be due to its purity…”
Dr. Andrew Weil, foreword of Saké Pure and Simple

I had to give it a try. Sure, I’ve had saké before on numerous occasions. However, I mistakenly thought it would be me and a few wayward Japanese tourists when I visited the SakéOne tasting room in Forest Grove. Au contraire, my fellow wine trekkers. The place was buzzing with visitors four deep trying to get the attention of the lone server. But I was not to be deterred. I was there for the true saké experience – not just the heated stuff you get at Benihana.

At SakéOne, the pouring of saké for your tasting pleasure is accompanied by much pouring of saké knowledge into your head. Although you won’t be set to crank up the saké home brewing kit, you will impress your boss the next time you’re at a fancy restaurant and ask what sakés the proprietors feature. You learn about the importance of fresh, clean water; the milling of rice to get at the starchy center; and the use of koji to make it easy for yeast to break down the starch. What’s more, like grape wine, saké can be bone dry or sweet. And, as you will discover, it doesn’t need to be served warm.

Wineries have their winemakers, and kuras (saké breweries) have their saké masters. In the case of SakéOne, it is fortunate to have Greg Lorenz as its saké master. He is the only American saké master, and as such, has extensive training and years of experience handcrafting award-winning saké. At SakéOne you can experience and purchase a variety of Greg’s sakés, including traditional saké under the Momokawa label, with names such as Silver, Diamond, Ruby and Pearl, each with their own unique flavor profile. In addition, check out SakéOne’s Moonstone brand, which uses natural fruit flavors such as pear and (my favorite) raspberry to create fruit- infused saké. There’s also G-labeled saké with some sleek packaging. G is short for genshu, which is described as an “ultra-premium super-sexy” saké that checks in at 18 percent alcohol. A taste of this and you’re likely to decide that this is a truly special junmai ginjo genshu saké experience!