Winemaker Notes
At just 12% ABV, Label 12 redefines what low-ABV sake feels like. The nose opens with an unexpected richness, salted caramel mingling with something deeper, almost mineral. On the palate, the sake unfolds in layers: bright kumquat cuts through with citrus clarity, while whispers of toasted almond and dark cacao add warmth and complexity. The finish is clean yet lingering, savory yet somehow sweet, a playful contradiction.
Junmai 12 is 25% less alcohol and 25% fewer calories than traditional sake, but nothing about it feels compromised. Instead, it feels liberated, free to explore flavor without the weight, to pair with everything from oysters to chocolate, from summer lunches into joyful afternoons.
Since the categories of saké are established not by rice variety, but by their polishing or milling percentages, the saké with the lowest milling requirement, at no less than 30% milled, is simply called Junmai. This means that so that 70% of each rice grain remains. It is solely made of water, koji mold, yeast and rice. 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. Pair Junmai with rich flavors and heavily seasoned dishes like pork belly, teriyaki, smoked salmon and furikake.