Jason Yamasaki has come a long way since his humble beginnings as a busboy at the White Spot. He now runs the wine program at Chambar, one of Vancouver’s hottest restaurants and has earned a couple of well-deserved feathers in his cap. After triumphing at the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) competition in BC in November 2014, he was named the 2015 Sommelier of the Year by the Vancouver International Wine Festival, and was voted the Best Sommelier in the city by readers of Westender.
I caught up with Jason after three days of judging together for the Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards just hours before he was to due to fly off to Australia. God forbid we should do an interview without drinking, so Jason thoughtfully poured me a glass of the 2014 Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine from Château du Coing de Saint-Fiacre.
Why wine?
Wine arrived completely unexpectedly and organically out of an obsession to get better in restaurant hospitality. Wine was part of the job but honestly I never paid much attention to it. I realized that I was surrounded by individuals who were speaking passionately about something that I didn’t have that much experience with. So just by subtle, lengthy osmosis of their influence, I decided one day I would give this a shot.
Is there a particular wine that was a turning point for you?
The most memorable bottles have always been paired with a certain occasion. I can pick out a Meo-Camuzet Chambolle-Musigny from a humble 2004 off-vintage that was my first big introduction into Burgundy and the first time I was willing to spend more than a couple of bucks on a bottle of wine.
How do you approach food and wine pairing?
At Chambar I am completely willing to suspend my notions about certain proteins going with certain styles of wine and certain sauces going with other styles. So many of our sauces take a traditional protein and turn it on its head. I have been surprised on way too many occasions to have any sort of manifesto of principles. As long as there is acidity in the wine something will happen.
What are you drinking when you aren’t drinking wine?
Fernet-Branca. It is the magic cure-all for creating hunger and appetite in addition to having restful digestive properties. It is quite remarkable. (Note: Jason kept all of us wine judges well medicated with Fernet-Branca.)
Is there a wine that shares these same properties?
We are drinking it right now. It’s Muscadet as pure as Muscadet could possibly be. Neutral at the same time capturing the quintessential nature of what to me white wine should be all about. It’s amazingly accessible to drink and unbelievably surprising and magical with food.
It’s the question we all hate, but what is your desert island wine?
Muscadet would be extremely high on the list. But its soulful, more complex counterpart, Chablis would probably be number one. As a much broader answer; Chardonnay, in all of its forms.
What off-the-beaten-track gem are you currently excited about?
I have had such amazing success introducing staff to Chinon. It can reliably find something compatible with nearly every dish. I put ‘Les Pensées de Pallus’ Chinon on by the glass and it has become one of our absolute best sellers. It’s totally approachable for an individual who is more used to drinking Cabernet Sauvignon yet it still has the soul and attachment to what Cabernet Franc/Chinon is.
What do you believe is the most important aspect of your job?
Teaching staff and using wine as a way to improve and inspire people in the restaurant.
