飲食店は数あれど、これほどマニアックでおいしい日本酒を数多く提供しているところはないと称される、白金高輪のダイニングバー「GONZO」。そんなGONZO のマスター浅井剛一氏が、日本酒の歴史と文化の話を交えつつ、ホテル・レストランでの提供方法までご紹介していきます。
There are many restaurants, but there are none which provide such delicious and numerous kinds of sake, which can please enthusiasts, as the dining bar "GONZO" in Shirokane-takanawa. Mr. Gouichi Asai, the master of GONZO, will talk about the history and culture of sake, and introduce how to provide sake at hotels and restaurants.
浅井 剛一（あさい・ごういち）
1977 年東京生まれ。2004 年10 月、日本酒に合う肴、料理に合う酒をテーマとして白金高輪にGONZO をオープン。2006 年に唎酒師取得。
GONZO 東京都港区三田5-21-7
℡ 03-3449-5500
Goichi Asai
Born in Tokyo in 1977. In October 2004, GONZO was opened in Shirokane Takanawa, a theme for Sake marriage dishes, acquired sake taster in 2006.
GONZO 21-7, Mita 5, Minato-ku, Tokyo
℡ 03-3449-5500
楯の川酒造
4 月初旬、今年の東京は桜が散り行き少し寂しいお花見となり天候は夏日を迎えていました。その時期に山形県酒田市にある「楯の川酒造」の蔵開きに伺いましたが、酒田はまだ肌寒くもちろん桜はまだ蕾にもなっていませんでした。蔵開きとは、古くからの習わしはあるようですが、今は新酒ができたときや、造りがひと段落したころに、お祝いとして蔵を解放してお酒を振る舞ったりしてお祭りのようにすることです。この楯の川酒造の蔵開きには酒田に住まわれている方はもちろん、近隣の市の方や隣の新潟県、最近は東京からも多くの日本酒好き、楯野川好きの方がやってきます。この日は朝から天気が優れず強風と大粒の雨で毎年のように多くのお客さまはこられないと思いましたが、お酒のブースには長蛇の列、当日限定のお酒と酒粕詰め放題は毎年楽しみにして購入する方でにぎわっていました。そんな悪天候でも3000 人近くの人がやってくる楯の川酒造の蔵開き。私はお酒を注ぐブースをお手伝いしてましたが、若い方も年配の方も「おいしい」という言葉があふれていて、そこにはお酒に対しての偏った固定観念はなく、純粋にこのお祭りと楯野川を楽しんでいる光景に、おいしいお酒には年齢などは関係ないんだと感じました。
Tatenokawa Brewery
Early April , cherry blossom petals had already fallen in Tokyo, making it a bit melancholic cherry viewing season this year. The weather had warmed up as though it was already a summer day. At that time, I went for the Kurabiraki (open brewery day) of “Tatenokawa brewery” in Sakata city in Yamagata prefecture. It was st ill chilly in Sakata, and I didn’t even see any buds on cherry blossom trees. Kurabiraki has been a long-held custom, but
these days, it is known as a festive occasion to open up the brewery to the public and serve sake to celebrate the new brew of the season or to relax when the busy brewing season ends.
Not only the residents of Sakata but also many visitors from nearby cities and adjacent Niigata prefecture would come to Tatenokawa brewery’s Kurabiraki, and in recent years, sake lovers and those who love Tatenokawa would also gather for this occasion. Unfortunately, the weather remained harsh since that morning with strong wind and heavy rain, and I didn’t expect as many visitors as usual.
However, there was a long line at the sake booth, and the day was cheered up by those who had been anxiously waiting to taste the sake only served on this day each year and for all you can pack sake lees. Even under such unfavorable weather, as many as 3,000 visitors came to the Kurabiraki at Tatenokawa brewery. I helped at the booth where sake was served and was delighted to see both the young and old e admiring the “delicious” sake. No one seemed to have any preconceived notions of what sake should taste like, and everyone seemed to be truly enjoying the festive occasion and Tatenokawa.I felt that age has nothing to do with enjoying delicious sake.
