Richard Geoffroy on the Rise of Sake: Why IWA is the New Crush for Wine Lovers

Photo Credit: TIKUYA RIKITAKE

BY LAURA SCHREFFLER
PHOTOGRAPHY TIKUYA RIKITAKE

“Sake, reimagined.” That’s the quiet revolution Richard Geoffroy is leading with IWA — a boundary-pushing brand rooted in the traditions of Japan, yet unapologetically global in spirit. Best known as the former chef de cave of Dom Pérignon, Geoffroy brings a winemaker’s precision and a visionary’s palate to the world of sake, blending craftsmanship, aging, and an almost poetic sense of balance into every bottle.

Produced at Shiraiwa, IWA’s minimalist yet masterful kura in Toyama, Japan, IWA 5 is the result of a deeply collaborative process with celebrated Japanese artisans, including a revered toji (master brewer). The result? A new kind of sake — nuanced, versatile, and built to transcend borders. Already featured in over 140 Michelin-starred restaurants, IWA is as at home alongside kaiseki as it is with modern French or Nordic tasting menus, inviting a new generation of curious, cosmopolitan drinkers to the table.

As Geoffroy himself puts it: “IWA is deeply and proudly rooted in Japan yet embracing the global cultures and cuisines of the world.”

Photo Credit: Takuya Rikitake

You spent nearly three decades at Dom Pérignon. What inspired the leap from Champagne to sake?
It was a reset — a new challenge. I wanted a new creative framework with more latitude and fewer limits. Above all, it was about a love for Japan — a desire to be part of something. I’ve been going to Japan for over 30 years and have developed deep affinities. Japan gives me more creative freedom, against the odds. When you love something, you want to contribute, not just be a visitor or passenger. You want to be part of it.

How does your winemaking philosophy translate into the world of sake?
It has always been about harmony, balance, and complexity. In the end, I’m on the same project — just in a different territory, physically. The philosophy, the objectives — they remain the same. The technicalities of sake brewing or vinification — winemaking — are probably secondary to the universal principle of harmony, balance, and complexity. So, to me, it’s the same project, just applied to a new territory.

Photo Credit: Charles Geoffroy

Are wine and sake more alike than people might assume?
Yes. In the end, they’re both fermented beverages. There’s that intriguing contribution of fermentation — the transformation of raw material into liquid. That’s a major link between the two. They’re more alive than one might think. And naturally, when I blend IWA, I feel comfortable, because it’s more like wine than anything else.
It’s about the mystery of microbiology — the yeast, the living organic matter. It’s much stronger than anything distilled. It’s fermented. Do I think sake should be evaluated like wine? Yes. In my view, it should be assessed using the same parameters. Now, local sake makers might have different criteria for precision, but to me, sake — especially IWA — deserves to be judged with the same depth and rigor as wine.

IWA is a blend of multiple sakes, which is highly unusual. What inspired your assemblage approach?
The ambition of IWA is really to reach out to both Japanese and non-Japanese moments. Therefore, it has to be somewhat more substantial, richer, more intense, to be really suited for non-Japanese moments and drinking occasions. And yet you’ve got to retain the intrinsic character of sake — the DNA, the character of the flow. So, it’s sort of a paradoxical thing: being rich and yet flowing. And the only way to make it rich yet flowing is to achieve something close to perfect balance. I even forgot one step in the reasoning. To really make the richness flow, you have to make the richness weightless. And the only way to make it rich and weightless is balance. And the only way to achieve balance is blending.There is way more presence on the palate than with many existing premium sakes. It’s really all thanks to blending. And I’m suspecting now that the blending allows IWA to age —
because that balance comes from an element of tension. And now, that tension is what makes IWA age for so long. So, blending is really about balance, and age-worthiness.Photo Credit: John Troxell – Fifth Flavors

IWA is now served in over 140 Michelin-starred restaurants. Why do chefs and sommeliers love it?
Its versatility, from the blending and the balance. Balance means that there is sort of a latitude to raise itself right to the occasion on the par with the food, not above, not under. It’s very respectful of the food. It’s a chef’s dream beverage. I don’t think there is a single wine achieving such versatility, but not by defect, by virtue.

Many assume sake only pairs with Japanese cuisine. What are some of your favorite unexpected pairings?
Spicy food. When served warm — at body temperature — IWA handles spice beautifully. That’s rare. Think Sichuan Chinese, Thai curries, Mexican, Southern Creole or Cajun. It really works. And then, of course, caviar. IWA with caviar is just incredible. All the top caviar suppliers have been amazed. Nothing else compares. It can go from briny and salty all the way to sweet desserts.

Photo Credit: The Moore Miami

How do you want people to feel when they experience IWA?
First, satisfied. Hedonistically satisfied. It should feel rewarding — like a discovery, an experiment. I want people to be playful, to take risks with how they enjoy it. There’s also a cultural reward. You’re drinking Japan — a new expression of Japan. It’s taste first, but then it becomes something more. Culture, story, emotion. IWA offers a fully immersive experience for both the senses and the spirit.

Tell us about Shiraiwa, your brewery in Toyama. What makes it different?
The sake itself is quite traditional, but the brewing process is dedicated to blending. Our master brewer, Yabuta-san, brews each component specifically for assemblage. He understands blending deeply. We work hand-in-hand. The kura has stainless steel tanks, state-of-the-art equipment, and a streamlined layout — everything designed to support the style and quality of IWA.

Photo Credit: Ikeda Noriyuki

How do you see IWA evolving in the next five to 10 years? Is it leading the cultural shift to enjoying sake in America the same way many enjoy whisky or champagne?
I see IWA as universal, able to address different moments and different cultures and sensitivities, way more than wine. IWA has the capacity and potential to be universal, and my bet is that it will legitimately be considered on par with the greatest beverages on the planet. Universal, and at the premium end of the most precious beverages on the planet.

What is the best way to enjoy IWA? Is it with everyday cuisine or through a pairing experience?
IWA should be part of a lifestyle, not only reserved for extraordinary moments. It can be enjoyed on a more regular basis. IWA’s versatility allows it to respond to diverse situations.

What is the craziest culinary experience you’ve ever had with IWA? Set the scene!
In China, hot pot! With hot pot, most enjoy either beer, champagne or Baiju and none of them propose proper satisfaction for the duration of the meal. Rosewood Beijing is incredible for hot pot, paired with IWA.

Photo Credit: Takuya Rikitake

Is there anything else you’d like to share about IWA, your personal career trajectory, or the industry in general?
I am in pursuit of harmony: through medicine, my time at Dom Pérignon, and now Japan. To me, I consider it all the same project. A project of humanity, of authenticity, bringing people together, with so much emotion.

To you, what is the greatest luxury in life and why?
Time! To me, it’s the ultimate luxury. Time for oneself, for others, for sharing, for thinking, for being creative. Time.

Photo Credit: Takuya Rikitake