Napa Valley’s John Anthony Family of Wines diversifies portfolio by hiring sake master

The Napa Valley maker of top-selling JaM Cellars Butter chardonnay is expanding beyond wine to other “high-quality, farm-to-glass, food-friendly beverages” with the hire of sake expert server and brewer Stuart Morris.

Morris, who has earned the Kikesake-shi (sake sommelier) and Master of Sake brewing certifications, comes to John Anthony Family of Wines from a career at Michelin-starred restaurants and notable sushi establishments, most recently at Pabu izakaya (tapas bar) in San Francisco, the vintner announced Wednesday.

“Sake has been on my radar for a while, from both a personal interest and seeing an opportunity for growth here in the U.S. A chance meeting with Stuart in 2023 has set us on path to bringing high-quality Sakes to American consumers in a very organic and authentic way,” said John Anthony Truchard, founder and CEO, in the news release.

As director of sake, Morris will lead the development of a traditionally made portfolio of sake at Shindo brewery in Yonezawa, in the Yamagata prefecture of northern Japan.

In 2009, Morris became one of only a few non-native Japanese who have passed the Kikesake-shi exam, which is given in Japanese in Tokyo and requires knowledge of production, differentiation and the beverage’s role in the country’s society and history, the vintner said.

That was the first year that SSI International opened the certification to participants beyond Japan. So far, 10,428 have earned the credential, according to the organization.