François Chartier is known for his research on aromas, particularly those of wine. However, on the other side of the world, the sommelier is developing a new expertise: the production of sake. His drink, created in collaboration with the Japanese company Tanaka 1789, is now offered here.
Nothing predestined the Quebec sommelier to embark on the production of sake. Admittedly, he had studied the basics of this rice alcohol when he was preparing for the World Sommelier Competition in Tokyo in 1994. But a meeting with a Japanese businessman changed things in 2017. asked for his opinion on the quality of his sakes. Francois Chartier did not respond.
“I stayed in the room in front of the dozens of glasses and I did what is not done in the Japanese tradition: an assembly”, he says.
The sommelier learned the art of blending alongside Bordeaux oenologist Pascal Chatonnet, with whom he produced his range of wines for a few years. François Chartier applied the same basic rule with sake, bringing together the best cuvées to create a new, even better cru.
I brought to sake what the wine world has understood for a long time.
François Chartier, sommelier
When the toji, the sake production manager, returned to the room and tasted the drink made by Chartier, he was bowled over. The collaboration between the sommelier and Tanaka 1789 had just been sealed.
Review the rules
Five hours north of Tokyo, in Miyagi Prefecture, François Chartier spent many days at the Tanaka 1789 facility reviewing every step of sake production. Its objective: to develop a rice alcohol that will appeal to wine lovers. To achieve this, it was first necessary to add freshness. “Sake has on average five times less acidity than wine,” he explains.
The task was complex, because in the Land of the Rising Sun, sake culture has been rooted in cultural heritage for centuries. But the Tanaka 1789 house trusted him.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Going against the tide with current ways of doing things, François Chartier has reduced the polishing of rice grains in order to preserve more lipids and proteins. He also selected local rice varieties and yeasts. Then, he extended the aging in vats for several months.
All these changes made it possible to produce a sake containing only half the acidity of a wine. In addition, the drink is thus more complex, the aromas persist longer and the impression is more pleasant in the mouth.
Thanks to the longer aging time, the blend also has better aging potential and it keeps much better in the refrigerator after opening the bottle.
“We created a custom black bottle to protect the sake from light and to age it for a long time,” he adds. The expert estimates that the aging potential of his drink can exceed 15 years.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
“We created a custom-made black bottle to protect the sake from light and for it to age for a long time,” explains François Chartier.
Launched in 2018, its drink named Blend 001 is marketed in 28 countries. The sommelier was also inspired by wine to produce a second sake, more accessible, like the second growths of Bordeaux. As a nod to Château de Margaux, he named this new cuvée Pavillon.
“Time Pairing”
During an event at the end of June in Old Quebec, a bottle accompanied the meal at the Asian restaurant Bo. Oyster starters, eel ravioli, beef and morel tataki, sturgeon loin, semi-cooked foie gras and hazelnut and maple syrup strudel were all served with Francois Chartier. The pairings were all impeccable.
With wine, you often have two or three possible pairings during the same meal. With sake, depending on serving temperature, I sometimes have five.
Francois Chartier
The drink served very cold resembles a lively and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. Then after a few minutes in the glass, the rice alcohol takes on the air of a great Chardonnay. The sommelier named this concept the “ Time Pairing “.
To find out, François Chartier recommends serving his sake with ceviche or oysters when it comes out of the fridge, then accompanying it with fish in sauce or mushrooms once the temperature warms up and reaches 20°C. But above all, he forbids pouring it into a cup. Instead, he advises enjoying it in a large glass of wine.
The Pavillon cuvée at the SAQ
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The Pavillon cuvée by François Chartier
The Pavillon cuvée is the first sake from Chartier marketed at the SAQ. Its price is high, but it allows you to learn about the complex world of this alcohol. Citrus and exotic fruit aromas rapidly evolve towards milky notes of butter and herbs. The tension in the mouth is part of a creamy and long texture. The 500ml format is designed to be shared by two people during a meal. But the creator assures that the drink can be kept cool for several months. Other sakes, including a collaboration with Portuguese winemaker Dirk Niepoort, will be available in the spring as private imports.
2019 Tanaka 1789 X Chartier Pavilion of Blend 001, $84.25 (15005058), 16.5%