The sparkling sake, "Mikka." Its bottle, clad in Gucci's signature deep green, makes you forget it's

LOUNGE / EAT

June 9, 2026

Why Gucci Giardino Crafts Japanese Sake

GUCCI × SAKE HUNDRED | Mikka

GUCCI Giardino has ventured into Japanese sake—an unexpected statement that, in time, becomes an inevitability. From the luxury maison that has etched over a century of history since its founding in Florence in 1921, to SAKE HUNDRED, which has pioneered the future of Japanese sake. Three years in the making since their encounter, the result is the sparkling sake, "Mikka." This single bottle poses the question: "How far can Japanese sake go?"

Text by Takashi Tsuchida

The "Inevitability" of GUCCI Giardino and Japanese Sake

GUCCI Giardino, which began in Florence's historic Piazza della Signoria and expresses its worldview in Umeda, Osaka, is a cocktail bar where Gucci's aesthetics intersect with mixology. In this space, innovative cocktail techniques and carefully selected food merge the culture of the land with the maison's codes, fostering exchange and discovery.

In the world of luxury dining, where wine and spirits have long held sway, Gucci Osteria's sensibility—recognizing sake as an equal to Champagne and Burgundy—embodies the forefront of culinary diversity. The profound umami and gentle acidity of Japanese sake possess a surprising affinity with the complex flavors of Italian cuisine. This fact was embraced early on.

In February 2023, a resonance between the aesthetics of GUCCI Giardino and SAKE HUNDRED opened the door to joint development. Ryushi Ikoma, brand owner of SAKE HUNDRED, began by re-learning what kind of brand GUCCI Giardino is. When he understood its essence of "harboring relentless challenges within tradition," the answer naturally emerged. Blending a 16-year ice-cold aged vintage sake, "Reihi," with a new sparkling sake from the same brewery—a contrast of aged and new. This was the very origin of the concept.

Mikka, reflecting in a space of profound depth. The elegance embodied by GUCCI Giardino and the depth of Japanese sake blend naturally.

The brewing partner chosen was Nagai Sake Brewery in Kawaba Village, Gunma Prefecture. Noriyoshi Nagai, the sixth-generation brewery owner, is an innovator who was among the first to apply the concepts of sparkling wine and vintage, learned in France's Champagne region, to Japanese sake. This brewery, celebrating its 140th anniversary this year, has a continuously inherited belief: "To innovate constantly in order to preserve tradition."

The deep green box is inscribed with "GUCCI GIARDINO" and "SAKE HUNDRED" in gold leaf. It possesses a suitable presence, both as a gift and as a collectible.

A Crystal of Fragrant Tradition and Innovation

The appearance is a brilliant lemon gold. As you tilt the glass, a sweet aroma reminiscent of baked goods overlays herbal notes, eventually revealing nuances of sour cream and hazelnut. Upon tasting, the silky smooth bubbles envelop a rich fruit sweetness and umami, while a gentle acidity tightens the overall profile. The finish is long, with a subtle bitterness leaving a beautiful aftertaste.

The buttery aroma and silky bubbles possess a remarkable capacity to embrace food. It pairs exceptionally well with ingredients of robust flavor, such as sea urchin, truffle, abalone, and lobster, and harmonizes beautifully with Italian dishes featuring seafood, spicy tomato sauces, and cream-based sauces. The recommended serving temperature is 6°C. We encourage you to savor its true value in a vintage Champagne glass.

Mikka, in a deep green setting reminiscent of Gucci's colors, holds delicate bubbles. Each fine bubble embodies the sophistication of secondary fermentation in the bottle.

The core that creates its multi-layered expression lies in the blend of SAKE HUNDRED's 16-year ice-cold aged vintage sake, "Reihi" (using the 15-year aged sake as a base for "Mikka"), and a secondary fermentation sparkling sake made with "Yukihotaka," a premium rice from Kawaba Village. "Reihi" is a vintage sake aged for 16 years in a sub-zero environment, achieved through a triple technique of "ice-cold long-term aging," "French oak barrel aging," and "cumulative fermentation." By slowly aging the French oak barrels themselves at sub-zero temperatures, lactones (coconut-like) and vanillin (vanilla-like) components are gradually infused into the sake, creating its unique sweetness. "Mikka" elevates these characteristics into an item suitable for celebratory occasions like toasts, as a sparkling sake.

The experience of the complex, multi-layered flavors of aged sake layered with the light effervescence of new sake made from fresh rice is entirely unprecedented in Japanese sake. Brewery owner Nagai states: "We deeply resonated with the brand's history, aesthetics, and spirit, culminating in an elegant bottle that combines delicacy and depth."

Indeed, this bottle exists at the intersection of over 100 years of Italian aesthetic sensibility, 140 years of Nagai Sake Brewery's top-tier Japanese brewing technology, and the exceptional taste of the emerging sake brand, SAKE HUNDRED. Japanese sake should indeed spread its wings further to the world, where its true value can be tested.