Gekkeikan Black & Gold Sake
Winemaker Notes
Gekkeikan now brings the newest technologies to a brewing process that is nearly 2,000 years old and continues to strengthen its marketing position in the wake of growing demand for sake worldwide.
Gekkeikan established its Folsom sake brewery as part of its strategy to reach new markets. It is the company's first brewing facility in North America and is the sixth brewery to bear the Gekkeikan name.
Why was Folsom selected? Just as Fushimi was "discovered" centuries ago, Folsom was found to offer just the right conditions: high quality water and an abundance of rice- the perfect setting for a skilled brewmaster backed by over three and a half centuries of experience.
Responsible for the vast majority of American wine production, if California were a country, it would be the world’s fourth largest wine-producing nation. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of red wine styles, and unlike tradition-bound Europe, experimentation is more than welcome here. California wineries range from tiny, family-owned boutiques to massive corporations, and price and production are equally varied. Plenty of inexpensive bulk wine is made in the Central Valley area, while Napa Valley is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious and expensive “cult” wines.
Each American Viticultural Area (AVA) and sub-AVA of has its own distinct personality, allowing California to produce red wine of every fashion: from bone dry to unctuously sweet, still to sparkling, light and fresh to rich and full-bodied. In the Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate vineyard acreage. Sonoma County is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé and Zinfandel. The Central Coast has carved out a niche with Rhône Blends based on Grenache and Syrah, while Mendocino has found success with cool climate varieties such as Pinot noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. With all the diversity that California wine has to offer, any wine lover will find something to get excited about here.
Sake with the lowest milling requirement at no less than 30% milled, so that 70% of each rice grain remains, is simply called Junmai. It is made of water, koji mold, yeast and rice. The categories of saké are established not by rice variety, but by their polishing or milling percentages. Junmai is also brewed in the absence of added alcohol. Some brewers, in search of other flavors, aromas and textures, will add a small amount of distilled alcohol during the brewing process. But the alcohol in any saké labeled Junmai will come purely from fermentation.