Cheese and Sake Pairing

When Sake Meets Cheese: A Different Way to Think About Pairing

Most people associate cheese with wine. At our recent sake pairing event, we invited guests to rethink that assumption—and to experience how naturally sake and cheese speak the same language.

Cheese, at its heart, is fermented milk. Sake is fermented rice. Both are shaped by microbes, time, and umami. Lactic acid is a big component of both. Dairy, nutty, savoury and fruity flavours. When paired thoughtfully, sake doesn’t overpower cheese or compete with it—instead, it reveals new layers of flavour, texture, and length.

The Pairings We Explored

Brie de Meaux × Dewazakura Junmai Ginjo
With its creamy texture and gentle mushroom notes, Brie de Meaux paired beautifully with a soft, umami-driven Junmai Ginjo. The sake’s subtle aromatics echoed the cheese’s lactic character, while its clean finish refreshed the palate after each bite.

Comté 18 Months × Daishichi Junmai Ginjo Kimoto Masakura
Nutty, savoury Comté showcased sake’s elegance. Rice sweetness lifted hazelnut notes, while umami extended the cheese’s long alpine finish—one of the most harmonious pairings of the evening.

24-Month Gouda × Tengumai Junmai Daiginjo Yamahai
Aged Gouda, rich with caramel, roasted nuts, and salt crystals, found its match in aged and traditionally made sake. Oxidative notes in koshu mirrored the cheese’s savoury sweetness, creating a long, deeply satisfying finish.

Époisses × Gozenshu Junmai Bodaimoto Nigori
Bold, pungent Époisses often challenges wine, but sake rose to the occasion. High-umami Yamahai and Kimoto styles matched the cheese’s meaty, fermented intensity rather than fighting it—an eye-opening pairing for many guests.

Gorgonzola Dolce × Wakaze Cognac Barrel Kijoshu
The gentle sweetness and creamy texture of Gorgonzola Dolce were softened and rounded by sweeter sake styles. Residual sugar and umami balanced the salt and blue mould, proving that sweetness can be a powerful pairing tool.

A Takeaway Beyond Wine

This tasting wasn’t about replacing wine. It was about expanding the conversation.

Sake pairs with cheese not through sharp acidity or tannin, but through umami, texture, and fermentation harmony. For many guests, it was a first encounter with how versatile and food-friendly sake can be—especially with cheese.

We hope this experience encourages you to explore beyond the expected and discover new ways sake can elevate the table.

Thank you to Pauline from The Cheese Shop Singapore for joining us and contributing insight!

Below are some of the slides from the cheese pairing~