High Life

本月 ，《品》有幸与港澳地区著名日本清酒专家李天彦先生进行 访谈，深入探索日本国酒的精粹。本文乃清酒系列的第一部分， 将集中介绍纯米系列清酒。 High Life had the pleasure of sitting down with sake expert Tony Lee, who shared his passion for and insights into Japan’s national drink. In the first part of this mini-series, the junmai line of sakes is highlighted. 子 曰：“唯酒无量，不及乱”（《论语·乡党》），诗云：“君子有酒，嘉 宾式燕以衎”（《诗经·小雅·南有嘉鱼》）。人类仿佛是与生俱来便嗜 酒成性的生物，无论身处何方，总是千方百计将可以发酵的原材料变成琼浆玉 液，古今中外莫不如是。发祥自全球各地的文化，创造出形形色色各种美酒，如 欧洲的啤酒和葡萄酒、中美洲的龙舌兰酒、非洲的棕榈酒、中亚的马奶酒以及东 亚的粮食酒。清酒之于日本，有如葡萄酒之于法国：古希腊商人和殖民者将葡萄 种植技术引入高卢之时，稻田耕种技术亦从中原越洋到达东瀛；天主教修道院在 欧洲提高葡萄酒酿制技术之际，神道教寺院亦在日本改善清酒酿制技术。 在日语中，汉字「酒」可读作「sake」或「shu」。叫人丈八和尚摸不着 头脑的是，中文「清酒」或英语「sake」一词，在日语中却称作日本酒（读音 nihonshu），但日本法律规定，其正式名称应是「清酒」（读音seishu）。学 海无涯苦作舟，探索之旅的开局虽然复杂，但日本清酒与西洋葡萄酒之间的相似 之处甚多，俨然失散多年的亲兄弟；对葡萄酒爱好者而言，无疑是一大喜讯。 T he thirst of mankind is seemingly insatiable and practically anything fermentable is turned into alcoholic beverages, resulting in a kaleidoscopic range of nectars across the globe such as beer and wine in Europe, pulque in Mesoamerica, palm wine in Africa, kumis in Central Asia and cereal wine in East Asia. Sake is to Japan what wine is to France: when viticulture was brought to modern day France by ancient Greek settlers, rice agriculture in the form of paddy field reached Japan from China; whereas Catholic monasteries spearheaded oenological advancement in Europe, Shinto shrines drove sake development forward. In Japanese, the kanji character “ 酒 ” is pronounced either “sake” or “shu.” Bafflingly, what is referred to as sake in English is usually called nihonshu (“ 日本酒 ”; literally Japanese liquor) in Japanese, although Japanese law requires that sake be labeled as seishu (“ 清酒 ”; literally clear liquor). Confusing as this may be, oenophiles would be relieved to learn that wine and sake share so many similarities that they are akin to long-lost brothers. INDULGE