Is Sake Really “Rice Wine”?

It’s a common misconception, but calling sake “rice wine” doesn’t quite capture what makes it special!

We understand the temptation though: sake is often sipped and enjoyed like wine, with the same ritual of exploring flavors and aromas. But the comparison stops there, and here’s why. Wine, whether made from grapes or other fruits, is fermented directly from the fruit’s natural sugars.

Sake, on the other hand, is brewed from rice in a multi-step process that first converts starch into sugar with the help of koji mold, before any fermentation even starts.

In that sense, sake shares a technical similarity with beer, where grains are converted into sugars before fermentation. But where beer has hops and carbonation, sake is about elegance, balance, and a smoother mouthfeel.

So while “rice wine” may seem close, it’s not the real story. Sake stands apart, in a category all its own, and once you experience it for yourself, you’ll appreciate why this special beverage deserves its unique place in the world.