Winemaker Notes
This vibrant showstopper is beautifully soft and feminine, brewed by one of Japan's only female brewery owners and tojis. Brewed in Hiroshima, the birthplace of Ginjo sake, which is known for remarkably soft water that requires expert skill to use in sake production. Once mastered, it enables a highly controlled, precise fermentation, resulting in vibrant fruit aromas. This Junmai Ginjo is bottled immediately without charcoal filtering.
A fruity nose of lime and melon with bold hints of fennel, white pepper and allspice. The flavors gravitate to ripe cantaloupe and anise while the minerality from the soft water is evident in the finish.
A natural match for sweet, succulent shellfish like lobster and scallops, but surprising pairings like bittersweet chocolate work, too.
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.
The introduction of the waterwheel in the 17th century, which eliminated the need for the manual polishing of rice grains, allowed Japan to begin producing saké at an industrial level for its greater population. Today Japan remains at the cutting edge of technology in its brewing practices. However, the traditional methods of handcrafted, artisanal saké remain alive in smaller and often family-owned breweries. Many of these showcase local ingredients and focus on microclimates to make what is known as ‘jizake,’ or regional saké.