Sake Samurai Simone’s Guide to Enjoying Sake at Home
At the Sydney Sake Festival 2026, Sake Samurai and sake educator Simone Maynard joined sake and winemaker Matt Froude for Sake Pairings for the Australian Table — a seminar exploring how sake can work with familiar flavours enjoyed by Australians , well beyond traditional Japanese cuisine.
Here, we revisit some of the seminar highlights, along with Simone’s practical tips for enjoying sake at home.
The Pairing Dynamics: Sake vs. Wine
One reason sake works with such a broad range of foods is that its structure is very different from wine.
The seminar highlighted four key differences:
Acidity
Wine often has bright, sharp acidity, while sake has softer lactic and succinic acids.
Tannins
Wine can contain moderate to high tannins, while sake has no tannins.
Umami
Sake is exceptionally rich in amino acids, giving it significantly more umami than wine.
Sulphites
Unlike many wines, sake is naturally sulphite-free.
Together, these characteristics allow sake to complement foods that can sometimes be more challenging to pair with wine.
Culinary Pairing Philosophy: Harmony & Umami
Wine pairing often focuses on structure and contrast — using acidity, tannins and body to cut through fats or mirror the intensity of a dish.
Sake takes a different approach, that tends to follow the philosophy of harmony and umami.
Its amino-acid richness and lower acidity allow it to complement subtle and delicate dishes while building harmony with savoury flavours.
Whilst the pairing at the seminar focused on non-Japanese flavours, some simple suggestions of pairing more typical Eastern flavours were offered :
Daiginjo → Delicate sashimi and tempura
Ginjo → Steamed fish and light salads
Junmai → Grilled meats and soy-based dishes
Nigori → Sushi and spicy foods
Three Pairings from the Sydney Seminar
Prosciutto × Kanbara “Wings of Fortune”
The savoury umami of Kanbara complements the salty, rich character of prosciutto. Its amino-acid structure works with the cured meat’s fat and umami, creating a rich yet balanced pairing.
View Kanbara “Wings of Fortune”
Buffalo Mozzarella × Zaku “Gen no Tomo”
Zaku’s gentle lactic character complements the fresh, milky sweetness of buffalo mozzarella, while its green apple notes provide freshness against the richness of the cheese.
Lamington × Shirakawago Junmai Ginjo Sasanigori
The creamy, mildly sweet character of Shirakawago Nigori complements the chocolate and coconut of a classic lamington, while its natural yeast character helps balance the sweetness.
View Shirakawago Junmai Ginjo Sasanigori
Sake pairing doesn’t need to be complicated. Start with foods you already enjoy, experiment with different sake styles and serving temperatures, and discover what works for your own table.
