We brought you three videos explaining exactly what sake is, what types of sake there are and what food to eat sake with, and for the final video in our four part Japan Week series, we explore the difference between sake and white wine with sommelier and sake expert Raul Diaz (@rauldiaz39)
Sake and white wine are very different drinks, and they’re both great with seafood – though when it comes to the finer details, which has the edge?
Sake vs white wine: what you need to know
Both white wine and sake pair well with acidic and salty dishes, but white wine struggles to handle umami flavours. Sake, on the other hand, has lots of umami character and works brilliantly with umami – that’s just one of the reasons it works so well with seafood.
White wine is all about length and finish. Sake, on the other hand is light in body, with a precise finish and a delicate, complex flavour.
It’s also usually a little stronger than white wine – though that strength is deceptive…
White wine is usually drunk chilled, poured straight from the bottle. Sake’s often served like that too, though usually in smaller quantities, and sometimes at room temperature or warm.
Sake’s versatile, exciting, and a great alternative to white wine with seafood.
