FoodandWine: Tales of a Sumo Taster
On a trip to Japan, renowned wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr., faces a paparazzo frenzy, tries the most promising local bottlings and is blown away by two of the most amazing French meals of his life.
My first trip to Japan, in 1998, began with an enormous crowd of Japanese paparazzi and television crews...In just a few days' time, I was dubbed the "sumo taster," which in Japan is akin to being named a winner on American Idol. I even made the scandal sheets when a Japanese actress (some said a soft-core porn star) crashed a tasting and threw herself onto my lap. When she experienced a "wardrobe malfunction," the photographers clicked away, producing tantalizing photos that made Naomi Kawashima an overnight sensation as Japan's most glamorous "wine girl."...When I returned in December 2004, I was determined to do things a bit differently...My Japanese publisher had the idea of putting together a dinner organized by Japan's Académie du Vin [called the "Hedonist Dinner"]and featuring the talents of renowned French chef Joël Robuchon. This million-yen ($10,000) meal included 18 courses, accompanied by 18 legendary wines that I selected. The dinner was limited to 20 people, but since so many food and wine enthusiasts signed up, they added a second dinner....At the second dinner, I sat next to a young sommelier who spoke no English or French, so I had to communicate through a translator. It turned out she had come by herself and spent her life savings to attend this meal. I wondered if anyone else in any other country would give up their life savings solely for the purpose of educating their palate...more...
