Official Class Description from West London Wine School Website:
Sake and cheese pairing is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan and abroad. Come experience this winning combination for yourself - join us at West London Wine School for an evening introduction to sake and cheese pairing. Matching sake with cheese is actually much easier than with wine, thanks to the power of umami (savouriness, the “fifth taste” present in both cheese and sake), shared flavours from fermentation (both cheese and sake are naturally fermented products), and sake’s gentler acidity.
Our sake and cheese tutor Sarah Stewart will cover the basics of sake and cheese production and tell the unique stories of the artisanal sake producers in Japan behind each premium sake we showcase. You will taste some special sake styles (junmai, koshu, kimoto/yamahai) that have lots of umami savouriness and pair beautifully with cheese. You will also learn about sake and food pairing principles – sake of course goes perfectly with Japanese food, but did you know it is a great match for Western cuisine too? You'll pick up lots of useful information to help you choose your perfect sake and food match and discover which sake styles you enjoy most.
On the evening we will try six different premium sake across a range of styles, accompanied by six artisanal cheeses from local cheesemonger Hamish Johnston.

About the School and Instructor:

West London Wine School is a local, independent and award-winning wine, sake, beer and cheese education company founded in 2010 and based in the heart of West London. Our courses and tastings focus on enjoying beverages whilst learning more in a relaxed and informal setting with friendly people and industry-leading tutors. If you know what you like and want to find out why, our tastings and courses provide the answer. In 2018 we received the prestigious WSET Educator of the Year Award for the top wine education provider globally, and have an average review score of 5 stars on Trip Advisor.

Sarah Stewart is a sake judge for the International Wine Challenge, and one of the only people in the UK to hold the Japan Sommelier Association’s Sake Diploma International qualification. She completed the WSET Level 3 in Sake in 2018 and received the IWC Sake Prize for the highest exam score worldwide that year, and in 2022 became a Sake Educator with the Sake Sommelier Association and passed their Certified Sake Sommelier exam with Distinction. She helps organize sake events and tastings in London in her role as Membership & Events Officer with the British Sake Association. She is also a Member of the Academy of Cheese. You can find her @sakestudies on Instagram.

Cost: £50 per person