【 UMAI People 】專訪 中田英壽 Hidetoshi Nakata

 

 

【 人 物 傳 奇 】

 

因〈十四代 GOLD LABEL〉之名

俺有幸訪問了

中 田 英 壽

 

Junyondai Gold Label ~
Interview with

 

Mr. Hidetoshi Nakata

 

Thanks to the name of the “JUYONDAI GOLD LABEL”,
I had the honor to visit Nakata Hidetoshi.

 

text : Ric Kwan (草草一刀) | photo : UMAI Databse / Jebsen Fine Wine (HK)
設計：美術部 | Art : Peggy
特別鳴謝 : Jebsen Fine Wine (HK)
Copyright © 2019 UMAI Magazine. All rights reserved. 

 

 

要改變市場，唯有走高檔
High Way is the Only Way   

 

走訪日本全國三百間酒藏的勁，非常人也

中田英壽先生選上跟《高木酒造》高木顕統先生合作，可是經歷了走訪日本全國多於三百間酒藏而決定的，這勁度可需要多少年時間呢？ 一年才三百多天，尚要深入了解和留下學習，並不是蜻蜓點水那種見學觀光，大家可以想像到過程之韌力和精力消耗，中田先生離開了足球場卻一股勁去踢另一場人生足球，也是傳奇。

 

Visiting 300 Breweries in Japan – Someone got that unusual grit!

Mr. Nakata only made the decision to partner with Mr. Akitsuna Takagi of “Takagi Brewery” after visiting over 300 breweries in Japan.  What kind of commitment and perseverance does it take to visit over 300 breweries?  What if it’s not merely tasting some nice sake but studying in depth about the history, culture and sake brewing arts of each brewery?  There are only 365 days in a year after all.  Mr. Nakata has showed the world how he lives yet another legendary life outside the soccer ball field.

 

要改變市場，唯有走高檔

尋找到能造出好品質清酒的藏人，亦需要去打開市場，中田先生覺得要改變，唯有走高檔，亦不會干擾到其他日本酒藏的固有市場。自從《N SAKE》在2013年出品後，成功創造出高檔精品清酒市場，這對 中田先生來講不單止是但求將酒賣出，而是成為一種人際工具層次。中田系列銘柄的清酒，在日本是找不到的，全是出口產品，因為香港是日本酒銷售額重點市場，所以選上《捷成洋行》來做香港官方指定代理，所有酒不設門市零售，全是批發予經挑選的餐廳和組織。

 

High Way is the Only Way

Having found the guru who makes supreme quality sake, Mr. Nakata immediately carved out a unique market position for the sake in the high-end spectrum without disrupting the traditional sake markets.  Since the launch of <N Sake> back in 2013, Mr. Nakata had created a new high-end boutique market space on top of the old sake world.  It is not just selling bottles of nice sake, in the game plan of Mr. Nakata, but also making connections with people who appreciate the art of sake.  Nakata’s private sake brand can only be purchased from official distribution partners.  Hong Kong, being one major market for high-quality sake, Mr. Nakata partners with Jebsen Beverage Co. Ltd. to distribute directly to selected restaurants and groups.  You still cannot yet buy N Sake in any retail shop here in Hong Kong.

 

 

 

技 術 為 本
Technique is the new standard       

強調技術為本，不再迷思在釀造級別和精米步合 

中田的精品清酒一律不會標明精米步合，也不以大吟釀、吟釀、純米、本釀造等清酒格付來分級，反而只以 N Sake、《十四代》之GOLD-金、BLACK-黑、SILVER-銀（將在今年2019年出品）來標記其酒價級別。我問中田先生那能否告訴飲者，GOLD LABEL 和 BLACK LABEL 是純米系抑或本釀造系？

中田先生的答案挺有趣，他說此是釀造秘密，而清酒，也不應該以兩系來定分別，也不應注目在何類吟釀級數，最重要是有能釀出好味的清酒，這才最重要。 言則中田英壽的清酒系列，就是給予飲者好味的保證。中田先生亦提出了一點，也是我心中長久所思考的問題:「飲者有必須要去完全了解釀酒過程嗎？」一日沒有在酒藏工作，一日都沒可能完全了解，所有知識都只是紙上談兵的，真專家是「杜氏」，飲者最重要是成為飲家，一名懂分辨酒味質素和知道各日本酒藏來龍去脈的品飲者已足夠。 酒藏，必須有足夠精緻細超凡技術，才能釀造出好酒，水和米都可以以技術巧妙的控制，這是釀造的秘密，中田先生強調好品質絕對要看超凡技術和味道感覺。

 

Technique is the new standard – out with the classification and rice polishing ratio

Nakata’s fine sake is not labeled with the percentage of rice polishing ratio, nor is it graded by Daiginjo, Ginjo, Junmai, Honjozo.  It is only categorized as N Sake, JUYONDAI GOLD, BLACK, one more brand (which is due for release in 2019) to determine its price level.  I asked Mr. Nakata whether he could tell the customer where GOLD & BLACK LABEL fits in the traditional brewing type: Junmai series or Honjozo series.  Mr. Nakata’s answer is very interesting.  He replied that this is a secret recipe, and sake should not be labeled by the two systems nor the traditional grades, and the most important thing is that it tastes good.  In the words, Nakata’s sake gives consumers the guarantee of the supreme taste of fine sake.

Mr. Nakata also raised a question, which I also pondered for a long time, that “Do the drinkers have to fully understand the sake making process?”  If one has not been in the sake making business, any claims of understanding is futile.  Only the Toji (Sake Brewers) are true experts.  For regular consumers, the ability to tell good sake from bad and some knowledge of the Japanese breweries would be sufficient.

Only with superior techniques and refined senses, a brewery can brew fine sakes.  The magical product of water and rice is a tricky play by techniques.  Mr. Nakata insisted “technique x sense” is the ultimate secret of brewing excellent sake.

 

 

 

中田英壽最重視的三點
Nakata’s key control       

 

中田英壽的精品清酒，一律不標示精米步合， 也不以清酒格付來分級。 而他最重視的三點，是味道、存放和運輸！

 

 

味道、存放和運輸，這是中田英壽最重視的三點

其實味道、存放和運輸，也是《高木酒造》高木先生同樣重視的三點。 中田先生覺得，現在飲者焦點都放在售價、超級精米和等級上，卻輕視存放，例如很少清酒儲存地方在攝氏（下同）零度至零下5度，這是他們選上投資了零下5度冷藏庫的《捷成洋行》，總經理 何興華先生 謂此投資不菲，但也能期盼以專業形象在市場令客人信任，亦因此獲中田先生信任。

只有存放在零下的清酒能保持品質和味道，放在13至15度冷藏庫的清酒，一個月便會出現品質變化，味道打折扣。中田先生曾周遊列國，每到一地，必光顧當地最高級的日本餐廳、品嚐其清酒，但從未有一間餐廳的清酒品質能接近日本的品質，這全因存放溫度的處理不恰當。這個情況 中田先生謂曾跟高木先生在餐廳飲《十四代》，高木先生一品嚐便說這不是《十四代》，指酒味出了情況。這種存放真的需要認真去令賣酒的店來了解。 關於運輸，當然要冷凍櫃冷凍車，成本必然貴，而運輸部份亦要配合，否則味道上一樣難達完備。捷成洋行何先生也指出，他們不做 ONLINE 零售，直接交指定餐廳也是保持控制品質。

 

Flavour, storage and transportation – Nakata’s key control

In fact, the flavour, storage and transportation are also the three points that Mr. Takagi pays a lot of attention to.  Mr. Nakata thinks that the focus of the drinkers is now on the price, ultra-rice polishing and classification, but not on the handling part: storage and transportation.  Very few distributors are handling sake in the right temperature range.  That is why Mr. Nakata works with Jebsen Beverage Co. Ltd. who invested in facilities to properly store and deliver sake at -5 degrees Celsius from end to end.  The general manager Mr. Ho said that the investment in these cold chain facilities was tremendous.  However, he believes it stands out Jebsen’s professionalism in the market to win customers’ trust, as now it is trusted by Mr. Nakata.

The quality and taste of fine sake can only be maintained when stored in sub-zero temperatures.  If the sake is stored in wine cellars between 13-15 degree Celsius, the quality will deteriorate in less than one month.  Mr. Nakata travels all over the world.  And when he travels, he tries sake at the top Japanese restaurants in each country he visits.  However, he says that he has never tasted sake that is the same quality as in Japan.  This is ultimately due to poor temperature control.  In one case, Mr. Nakata said that he once tasted JUYONDAI with Mr. Takagi in a restaurant, and Mr. Takagi was disappointed by the changed flavour of the sake due to improper handling.  This kind of handling requirements should be made very clear to sake sellers in order to satisfy consumer’s expectations.

For storage and transportation, it is, of course, more costly to operate sub-zero cold chain facilities in order to maintain the quality of the sake.  Mr. Ho also explained the purpose to maintain quality control is also the reason for not doing ONLINE retail, but delivering directly to designate restaurants.

 

 

 

保 證
Guarantee       

 

關於香港市面的《十四代》 

中田先生謂，高木先生說他們並沒有任何《十四代》出口來香港或中國大陸，現香港市場的《十四代》，全是賣酒者自行在日本和網上炒酒商店找尋並運來香港的，這可沒有品質保證，也無存放和運輸的保證妥當。至於炒賣也是酒商在托價謀利。香港亦無任何《十四代》特約專門店或代理。

未來的中田先生《十四代》系列，每支都有編號，方便追蹤跟進此支酒的走向有否失控。不抹煞將來所有《高木酒造》的《十四代》都會如此做，那便會跟進到日本本土那些指定分銷商，在將酒炒賣放出市場，便可中止其合作。

 

About JUYONDAI in the Hong Kong Retail Market

Mr. Nakata mentioned that Mr. Takagi is not exporting any JUYONDAI to the retail markets in Hong Kong or Mainland China nor does it plan to. The retail JUYONDAI products found in Hong Kong are all brought in by consumers or sold by online resale liquor stores from Japan. There is no guarantee of quality due to the lack of control in storage and transportation. As for price speculation, sake sellers are profiting from the fluctuating prices. At the moment, there are no retail stores or retail agents to sell JUYONDAI in Hong Kong.

It is possible that, in the future, Mr. Nakata’s JUYONAI series will be marked with serial numbers on each bottle to easily track and trace the distribution. When this system is implemented properly, it would be convenient to weed out unauthorized sellers of Mr. Takagi’s sake in the Japanese market.

Only with superior techniques and refined senses, a brewery can brew fine sakes.  The magical product of water and rice is a tricky play by techniques.  Mr. Nakata insisted “technique x sense” is the ultimate secret of brewing excellent sake.

 

 

未來的目標

中田先生對精品清酒市場很有信心，但都必先將重點放在存放上，生酒都不會去考慮。他反而覺得其精品清酒不止供應日本料理，就算西洋餐廳和亞洲高級餐廳也是對象，尤其是高級中華料理。

 

Future goals

Mr. Nakata is very confident in the boutique sake market, but he will first ensures proper storage and transportation. Nama-shu (unpasteurized) will not be considered. Instead, he feels that his fine sake should not be only sold to Japanese cuisines, but also for Western restaurants and even more Asian restaurants – especially Chinese restaurants.

 

 

後 記
Epilogue       

訪問前，筆者曾在怡東酒店獲米芝蓮星級餐廳怡東軒此酒系列發佈會中試酒，GOLD LABEL 的味道。在介紹中唯一提供的資訊就是此酒用上吉川特A山田錦，上立香輕柔，香氣和酒體味道比較近似水晶梨類，進口跟 BLACK LABEL 完全不同，GOLD LABEL 酸度明顯，對舌頭兩旁刺激較強，好想令人一啖接一啖，我絕對期待日後再一飲。文終欲一記，訪問完結時，跟中田先生來記握手道別，先生握手好有勁度，是熱誠充滿能量的人，想起其昔年足球員生涯，就是中場悍將，能改變一場波，而中田先生也絕對是日本清酒界之悍將，必有能改變清酒世界！人生就仿如踢一場波，禪語中有云: 「事難方見丈夫心」。在訪問完結時，俺跟中田英壽先生來記握手道別，好有勁度充滿熱誠能量的一握，絕對是「大丈夫」！

 

Before the interview, the author had a sake tasting session at the launch event of the same brand at Michelin starred Yee Tung Heen the Excelsior Hotel. The taste of Gold Label, as indicated by the only information available, Yoshikawa special A-graded Yamada-nishiki, mild orthonasal aroma, nose and palate like golden pear flavour. Different to Black Label, the flavour is similar to that of the pear. The palate is completely different from the BLACK LABEL. The acidity of GOLD LABEL is more pronounced. The biting sensation on both sides of the tongue is strong. I definitely look forward to tasting it again in the future.

By the end of the interview, Mr. Nakata gave me a passionate, firm handshake. I could feel the sincerity and energy of the mid fielder who was a game changer in field of soccer and now in the world of sake. How much of the sake landscape will he change? Life is like a soccer game. As the Chinese saying goes, “Only a man’s heart can be revealed in tough times”, I could definitely tell this is Mr. Nakata just by his handshake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

捷成飲料
Jebsen Beverage

Jebsen Beverage

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