Over 300 Sakes Available in Grand Tasting on September 23
 
(Long Island, N.Y.) The Joy of Sake returns to New York on September 23 for a magical evening of sake tastings and delicacies from fourteen of New York’s finest restaurants.

Over 300 labels from every region of Japan will be available for tasting at this ultimate celebration of the art of sake brewing.
 
This year, events will be held in Honolulu on August 19, San Francisco on September 9 and New York on September 23.  With high demand for tickets, the venues have steadily grown in size, reflecting the popularity of both the event and sake itself. In New York, the tasting now takes place at the wonderful new event venue 82 Mercer, 82 Mercer Street, New York NY 10012 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.  Among the acclaimed restaurants participating are Bond Street, 15 East, Woo Lae Oak, Geisha, Sushi Samba, Sakagura, En Japanese Brasserie, oms/B, Matsugen, Hibino and 1 to 8.
 
The Joy of Sake offers a rare opportunity to sample outstanding labels in peak condition (freshness and proper handling are key to sake quality once bottled), many of which are not otherwise available in the US.  Attendees will be able to sample the full spectrum of sake styles in the junmai, ginjo and daiginjo categories, including recipients of silver and gold awards from the U.S. National Sake Appraisal, a rigorous blind tasting conducted by judges from the U.S. and Japan every year prior to the Joy of Sake events. The diversity and complexity of premium sake compares favorably with that of wine, and it pairs easily with a variety of cuisines, from Asian and Japanese to Contemporary American and French.
 
As interest in Japanese cuisine has exploded in this country with America’s focus on healthier eating, Japanese restaurants have grown in number, and many of them make the annual top 10 lists in respected food & wine media. Sake continues to be one of the fastest growing segments of the beverage market, with imports of Japanese sake doubling roughly every seven years. The Joy of Sake anticipated and aided the awakening of interest in sake in America with its first public tasting in Honolulu in 2001, held in conjunction with the first U.S. National Sake Appraisal.  The Joy of Sake traveled to San Francisco for the first time in 2003 and to New York in 2004. 
 
The schedule of The Joy of Sake Tastings for 2010 is as follows: 
 
Honolulu: August 19 Honolulu Academy of the Arts
San Francisco: September 9 Yoshi’s San Francisco
New York: September 23 82 Mercer
 
Ticket sales and sponsorships will support the efforts of The Joy of Sake, a not for profit organization whose mission is to foster appreciation for the traditional art of sake-brewing. It provides opportunities for people outside Japan to obtain authentic knowledge about sake through seminars and tasting events.
 
Information on this year’s Joy of Sake, as well as a video of last year’s events, may be found at www.joyofsake.com. Tickets are $90 and may be ordered on-line or through local sake hotlines in Honolulu (808-739-1000) and New York/San Francisco (212-799-7243).