Winemaker Notes
Brewmaster Yuichi Tsubosaka makes chokara ("extremely dry") style sake unlike anyone else. While typically lean and austere, his Chokara Junmai Ginjo starts luscious and fruity, with a generous flavors of tropical fruit. It resolves to a beautifully spicy finish reminiscent of white pepper.
Pair with richer fare like tuna steaks, roasted chicken, or soy braised root vegetables. While an excellent match for richer foods, it is also delicate and compelling enough to enjoy on its own.
A notch above Junmai in its milling requirement, by definition Junmai Ginjo requires milling of 40% of the rice grain so that 60% of each grain remains. The categories of saké are established not by rice variety, but by the polishing or milling percentages. Junmai Ginjo is made up solely of water, koji mold, yeast and rice and is brewed without any additon of alcohol. This style goes well with fresh, lightly seasoned dishes such as sashimi, carpaccio or seared oysters.