Monaco Sake Awards

About the Monaco Sake Awards

The Monaco Sake Awards is a sake competition held to promote cultural
exchange between Monaco and Japan.
Celebrities gather in Monaco to select sake that can be enjoyed by people from
all over the world.

Monaco, known as the jewel of the Mediterranean, is strongly influenced by the
culinary culture of neighboring France and Italy, and its world-famous
gastronomy is in harmony with tradition.
The region, like Japan, is blessed with seafood.
What is the marriage between food and sake that is unique to Monaco?
What kind of sake do the people of Monaco choose?
This interest will be fed back to the sake brewing scene and will be utilized in
the next sake brewing.

Sake is a crystallization of Japanese culture.
We will make every effort to make sake a bridge of friendship.The Monaco Sake
Awards is a sake competition held to promote cultural…
Kanpai!

The judging was conducted by Monaco's royalty,
national council, the head chef of the Monaco's court, and sommeliers from
Monaco's top hotels and restaurants.

About the judging

9 October 2024.
The "MONACO SAKE AWARD 2024" jury meeting was held at the "Yacht Club de Monaco" in the Principality of Monaco in the honour of His Royal Highness Prince Albert II.
26 brands were selected for 36 awards.The theme of the Mariage Award was "Dry-cured ham"

Award-winning sake in 2024

Kamosumori JunmaiDaiginjo Hiire

Grand Prix

  • Exhibit Name： Kamosumori JunmaiDaiginjo Hiire
    Sake Brewer Name　：Naeba Sake Brewery Inc.
    Prefecture：Niigata
    Since October 2024, "Kamosu Mori" has been rebranded as "Yukinomayu" with no changes to the production methods and the quality of the sake.

Mariage Award（Theme：Dry-cured ham）

Junmai Daiginjo・Daiginjo　GOLD

  • Exhibit Name：Nanbu Bijin Junmai Daiginjo
    Sake Brewer Name　：NANBU BIJIN CO.,LTD.
    Prefecture：Iwate
  • Exhibit Name：Moehime Junmai Daiginjo
    Sake Brewer Name　：Niizawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Miyagi
  • Exhibit Name：Jokigen jyunmaidaiginjyo yamadanishiki30
    Sake Brewer Name　：SAKATA SHUZO CO.,Ltd
    Prefecture：Yamagata
  • Exhibit Name：HakuroSuishu Junmai Daiginjo DEWASANSAN33 ULTRA DIAMOND
    Sake Brewer Name　：Takeno Tsuyu Sakagura Co.,Ltd
    Prefecture：Yamagata
  • Exhibit Name：Bessen ISSYO SEISYUN Daiginjo
    Sake Brewer Name　：Akebono Shuzo Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Fukushima
  • Exhibit Name：TENMEI Junmai Daiginjo Gold Label
    Sake Brewer Name　：Akebono Shuzo Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Fukushima
  • Exhibit Name：Shikisakura Manyohiziri
    Sake Brewer Name　：Utsunomiya Shuzo Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Tochigi
  • Exhibit Name：Shirataki SEVEN Junmaidaiginjo 25%
    Sake Brewer Name　：SHIRATAKI Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Niigata
  • Exhibit Name：Kamosumori JunmaiDaiginjo Hiire
    Sake Brewer Name　：Naeba Sake Brewery Inc.
    Prefecture：Niigata
    Since October 2024, "Kamosu Mori" has been rebranded as "Yukinomayu" with no changes to the production methods and the quality of the sake.
  • Exhibit Name：KAGANOI Junmai-DaiGinjo Koshitanrei45
    Sake Brewer Name　：KAGANOI SAKE INC.
    Prefecture：Niigata
  • Exhibit Name：Born:Dreams Come True
    Sake Brewer Name　：Katoukichibee Shouten
    Prefecture：Fukui
  • Exhibit Name：Born:Gold
    Sake Brewer Name　：Katoukichibee Shouten
    Prefecture：Fukui
  • Exhibit Name：Born:Tokusen Junmai Daiginjo
    Sake Brewer Name　：Katoukichibee Shouten
    Prefecture：Fukui
  • Exhibit Name：DASSAI 23
    Sake Brewer Name　：ASAHI SHUZO CO.,LTD.
    Prefecture：Yamaguchi
  • Exhibit Name：Gokyo Daiginjo Saitonoshizuku
    Sake Brewer Name　：Sakaishuzo Co., Ltd.
    Prefecture：Yamaguchi
  • Exhibit Name：Tousui
    Sake Brewer Name　：Yachiyo Shuzou
    Prefecture：Yamaguchi

Junmai Ginjo・Ginjo　GOLD

Junmai・Honjozo　GOLD

Ftushu　GOLD

  • Nothing applicable

MONACO SAKE AWARD 2024＞＞
MONACO SAKE AWARD 2023＞＞
MONACO SAKE AWARD 2022＞＞
MONACO SAKE AWARD 2021＞＞

JUDGES in 2023

S.A.S.Le Prince Albert II
S.A.S.Le Prince Albert II
M. Pierre Casiraghi
Vice President of the Monaco Yacht Club
Principality of Monaco, 8th in line of succession
M. Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi

Son of Princess Caroline of Monaco.
Nephew of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and 8th in line of succession to the throne of Monaco.
Vice President of the Monaco Yacht Club. A businessman, he is involved in many official Monaco events, including environmental protection and philanthropic activities.

M. Louis Ducruet
President of the eSports Federation of Monaco、
Principality of Monaco, 16th in line of succession
M. Louis Robert Paul Ducruet

Son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, nephew of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and 16th in the line of succession to the throne of Monaco.
Carrying on the traditions of the Principality of Monaco, he is particularly active in supporting events and sports promotion, especially for youth. Minister of eSports and scout for Monaco's AS Monaco soccer club, he has also served as Minister of eSports.
He has a deep knowledge of Japan and speaks Japanese.

S.E.M. Didier Gamerdinger
Embassy of Monaco in Japan
S.E.Monsieur. Didier Gamerdinger

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Principality of Monaco to Japan
Former Olympic windsurfing representative of the Principality of Monaco.
Didier GAMERDINGER has served as government coucillor-minister of Social Affairs and Health, Adviser to the Prince's cabinet in charge of the Department of the Interior and of the Department of Social Affairs and Health, Director General of the Department of the Interior
and Ambassador of Monaco to Japan since 2022.
Didier Gamerdinger is the ambassador committed to the development of Japan-Monaco relations in various fields including MONACO SAKE AWARD.

Monsieur Christian Garcia
Chef de Cuisine of the S.A.S.Le Prince Albert II of Monaco
Chef de Cuisine of the Palace of the Principality of Monaco
Monsieur Christian Garcia

He joined the Palace of Monaco in 1987 and became Chef de Cuisine of the Palace in 2004.
For more than 15 years, he has chaired the Club Chefs des Chefs, the exclusive association of chefs of heads of state, royal families and heads of state, and has worked with politicians from all over the world, including Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Queen Elizabeth II. He is known for his charity work and has organised charity dinners in Japan in aid of the Tohoku and Kumamoto reconstruction efforts.
The Barbagiuan is a traditional dish and every family has a special recipe of their own. It is stuffed with Swiss chard and ricotta, amongst other ingredients. With the Monegasque traditional cuisine, the Mediterranean influence is dominant and very popular. I am very excited to discover the Macanese cuisine and talk to chefs in these regions.

Monsieur Bernard d'Alessandri
Secretary General and Director of the Yacht Club of Monaco
Monsieur Bernard d'Alessandri

One of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world, Yacht Club de Monaco was founded by King Rainier in 1953 and has more than 2,500 members from 79 nationalities. D'Alessandri has been welcoming VIPs from all over the world at the yacht club for more than 50 years since the former king was president.

Monsieur Lionel Compan
Head Sommelier of Yacht Club de Monaco
Monsieur Lionel Compan

After more than 20 years as a sommelier at five-star hotels, including the Hôtel de Paris, he has been Head Sommelier at the Yacht Club de Monaco for more than seven years, where he welcomes politicians and VIP clients from around the world.

Monsieur Eric Benchimolr
Honorary Consul General of Japan in Monaco
Monsieur Eric Benchimol

Message du Président de l'AMFJ

Président de l'AMFJ Eric Benchimol

Chers amis japonais

En tant que Consul Général Honoraire du Japon à Monaco et Président de l'AMFJ, nous avons pu organiser avec l'Association Monaco Friends of Japan, le Yacht Club de Monaco le 1er Monaco Sake Awards en novembre 2023.

Nous sommes très impatients d’accueillir la 3eme édition prévue en Octobre 2023.

Parmi les membres du jury, des personnalités de Monaco nous ont fait l’honneur de leur présence lors de ce concours et souhaitons vivement pouvoir bénéficier de personnalités aussi prestigieuses pour l'édition 2023.

Les Monaco Sake Award ne sont pas seulement une compétition, mais aussi un échange culturel entre le Japon et Monaco à travers le saké.
Nous invitons les brasseries de saké japonaises à participer à la 3eme édition des Monaco Sake Awards.
Rendez-vous en Octobre 2023.

Eric Benchimol

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