[DRINK TO] The Champagne-Sake Continuum

"The future of sake is the wine audience, Richard Geoffroy tells me over dinner at Joji, George Ruan's omakase restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

-  JAY MCINERNEY

Geoffroy knows something about the wine audience, having served as head winemaker at Dom Pérignon for 28 years, steering the iconic Champagne brand to new levels of popularity, profitability, and collectibility.

When he wasn't blending and tasting he traveled the world representing Dom Pérignon. Among the countries he visited frequently was Japan, where he fell in love with the culture, the cuisine-and sake, Japan's traditional, rice-based fermented beverage. As seems often to be the case with Geoffroy, interest blossomed into obsession.