June 03, 2019
Cream Sake Portfolio Tasting & Seminar

41 Unique Japanese Sakes
27 Producers
15 Sake Rice Varieties
7 Japanese Regions
21 Japanese Prefectures

We invite the beverage community on Monday, June 17th to taste the incredibly diverse flavors of our sake portfolio. Please email clara@creamwine.com to rsvp. This is a trade only event.

—Seminar (seated; RSVP required): 10-11am
—Portfolio Tasting (walk around): 11:30-2:30pm

Together, with two of the nation’s leading sake importers Wine of Japan and World Sake Imports, we’ve curated a diverse and dynamic Japanese sake portfolio. The portfolio truly offers something for everyone and represents the incredible skill and talent happening in Japan today.

Many of the breweries have a long history, like Sawanoi (founded in 1702) whose current president is the 23rd generation of the Ozawa family to run it. We are pleased to announce that President Mikio Ozawa is coming to our tasting!

In addition to Mikio Ozawa, we have two other special guests: The Sake Ninja Chris Johnson and Sake Esquire Masahiro Takeda. Chris and Masahiro will be hosting the seminar.

The Sake Ninja Chris Johnson:
Chris Johnson is Chris Pearce’s right hand man and represents World Sake Imports in the U.S. World Sake Imports (established in 1998 by Chris Pearce) represents regional sake breweries and shochu distilleries that produce premium beverages. The breweries are among the most respected in Japan; they are standard-bearers for the industry in terms of quality, innovation and technical mastery. Chris Johnson’s accolades include: sake sommelier certified by the Sake Service Institute, member of the board of directors for The Joy of Sake, judge for the U.S. National Sake Appraisal since 2000, Level 3 sake educator certified by WSET, Sake Samurai title earned in 2013.

Sake Esquire Masahiro Takeda:
Third generation Masahiro Takeda is currently the vice president of Wine of Japan (and yes, he is also a lawyer). Established in 1973, Wine of Japan is one of the oldest family owned and operated national importers and distributors of ultra-premium Japanese sake, spirits and beer. With over 42 years of experience, WOJ continues to introduce the best Japan has to offer to an ever-growing audience in the United States. Keeping current with evolving consumer palates, the portfolio is continuously evaluated and curated to ensure that only the most exclusive and select products are offered. Longevity is a testament to WOJ’s expertise, foresight, and unrelenting focus on customer service.

Since 2002, Cream has passionately represented and helped build the category of ginjo sake in Illinois. We are honored to represent this legendary collective. Kampai!