Is This New-Gen Sake London’s Buzziest Tipple?

A long-held dream to create the ultimate Japanese rice wine has led to an intriguing east-meets-west partnership between a French winemaker and a Japanese sake master, says Juliet Herd. Here’s everything you need to know about Yukiguma Sake.

Inside The Star-Studded Launch Of Yukiguma Sake

Mark Ronson and Nathalie Perrodo Samani. (c) Haydon Perrior

Who better than DJ extraordinaire Mark Ronson to get the party started at the launch of a new east-meets-west brew that is set to become the tipple of choice for London’s smart set?

Grammy award-winning Ronson spun the decks alongside musician Lou Hayter and model Lottie Geraghty at Marylebone townhouse, 14 Cavendish Square, while guests such as Poppy Jamie, Betty Bachz, Bianca Brandolini and Matilda Goad sipped delicious Yukiguma Sake cocktails. 

Concoctions included Sake Margaritas, Saketini and Yuki Peach – the perfect accompaniment to a selection of tuna sashimi, sakamushi and mini matcha cheese tart canapes prepared by Tokyo-born chef Yoshiko Wada.

The new-gen sake is the brainchild of London-based French winemaker and entrepreneur Nathalie Perrodo Samani, custodian of her family’s vineyards in Margaux, Jurançon and Burgundy. Inspired by her Asian heritage on her mother’s side, she created Yukiguma in collaboration with Japanese sake master Yasutaka Daimon of Daimon Brewery.

‘From the moment we met, we shared a mutual respect for each other’s work and we quickly realised that our collaboration was meant to be,’ Nathalie tells C&TH. ‘With Daimon-san’s guidance, I decided to create my own sake: Yukiguma. It felt as though the excellence of two countries – France and Japan – were coming together to create something extraordinary, a fusion of ancestral knowledge and modern innovation.’

Nathalie’s journey took her to the remote Ikoma mountain range in Osaka Province, where Daimon Brewery has prioritised small-scale production and meticulous handwork for the past two centuries, using pure water sourced from the surrounding mountains. 

Brewed at the foot of Mount Ikoma, Yukiguma – which means ‘snow bear’ in Japanese – is made with pure spring water and the most refined rise, and combines sweet, floral and fruity flavours with complex umami notes. We’re rhapsodising over the combination of mangosteen (think peach, pineapple and raspberry), combined with lychee and persimmon, bursting with notes of apricot, pear and fresh almond.

For Nathalie, it is more than just a sake, though: ‘It’s a testament to the power of following your passion, embracing new challenges and honouring the beauty of nature and craftsmanship.’

The name has a particularly personal meaning for her, too. As she explains: ‘It honours my [late] father Hubert, who I fondly called Hubert the Bear, and his love for the mountains.’

Yukiguma Sake is available from Marlo Wines for £120. marlo.wine