New Store Arrivals – Emishiki, Yoi no Tsuki, Narutotai, Ozeki, Sawahime, & Senjo

Emishiki Sensation Black
From Shiga Prefecture. Junmai Nama. SMV: N/A Acidity: N/A 
The nose on this unpasteurized seasonally released nama is a cool collection of green apple, salt water, bread dough, oatmeal, and honey tea aromas. This brew is a mover! It drinks with many textures and expressions from clean and rich-lite to plump and silky, but wait there’s more to this mid-body and refreshing sake that has a tannin-like dryness with some elegant shibumi and a touch of spritz that accompanies a quick dry finish. Look for rice crackers, bruised apple, unripe pear, honeydew, poppy seed, spearmint, cream, cucumber, and dark chocolate flavors that cascade on a watery flow. Wine drinkers will appreciate the higher acidity play, and this brew excels in a white wine glass. WORD: RichLite WINE: Deep Reds/Refreshing whites BEER: Dry crisp ales FOODS: Izakaya pub fare, salty, savory, greasy, tempura, veggies, and chicken on a stick. 

Yoi no Tsuki “Midnight Moon”
From Iwate Prefecture. Daiginjo. SMV: +5 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this Northern Japan sake is a slick collection of strawberry, peach, grape, blueberry, mint, vanilla, herbs, and huckleberry aromas. Martini drinkers rejoice as this soft, silky, and smooth brew drinks with a crispness and snap that appeals to those who like a little alcohol pop in a very elegant Daiginjo flow. Look for blueberry, pomegranate, dried nectarine, banana, mochi, whipped cream, tapioca, and Hawaiian sweet roll flavors that glide on the medium body texture with a quick and tingly finish. This is a very stylized Daiginjo that drinks very much like a competition-made sake. WORD: Smooth WINE: Crisp Reds/Snappy Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Fine cheeses, smoked fish, caviar, oysters, green salads, and tangy fruits. 

Narutotai Tomoe
From Tokushima Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: -2 Acidity: 1.6
The nose on this very professional Ginjo sake is a wonderful collection of honeydew, white flower, apple, pear, cucumber, and tonic water aromas. Behold a sake that drinks like a very focused laser that is not only clean, silky, and slick but refreshing and elegant as well. It is that cool combination of being viscous and juicy but still super smooth and clean with an impressive dry finish. Look for young pear, dried apricot, watermelon, cucumber, Muscat, persimmon, and young strawberry flavors with a very cool vein of umami that rides the laser throughout the dry and clean sip. Dry sake drinkers will love this brew for its Martini like attitude and clean refreshing build. WORD: Concise WINE: Dry Reds/Laser Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, Yakitori, grilled fish, oysters, caviar, and Champagne fare. 

Ozeki Platinum
From Hollister, CA. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: +1.2 Acidity: 1.45
The nose on this very limited released local craft sake is a gentle collection of raisin, peach, melon, orange, prune, walnut, milk, and rose water aromas. Say hello to a big Japanese brewery in California making a small batch high-end Daiginjo that drinks like it was made in Japan. Using local rice and water, this Platinum is clean, light, elegant, slick, semi-rich, and silky with a nice gentle smoothness that excels in a wine glass. Basically this is sake history in a bottle and every sake drinker who believes in craft sake should give it a try. Look for powdered sugar, white grape, sea salt, white miso, creamsicle, banana bread, and tangerine flavors that float with a very healthy vein of umami and a plump saline finish. There is a tantalizing acidity and shibumi with an overall dryness that makes for a very drinkable Daiginjo that is a premium adventure in glass and pairs well with California cuisine. WORD: Clean WINE: Gentle Reds/Creamy Whites BEER: Creamy ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, oysters, caviar, shellfish, lobster, and California fare. 

Sawahime “IWC Champion”
From Tochigi Prefecture. Ginjo. SMV: +4.5 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this IWC World Champion Trophy Ginjo is a slick collection of cherry, raspberry, raisin, honey, fig, white peach, and banana bread aromas. Ginjo sake is an un-loved category of sake with some form of stigma that keeps them from being as loved as Junmai sake. Why is that? This world-class sake wants to know too, as it is a superb expression of Ginjo sake. Milled to 50%, which is Daiginjo in nature, it is smooth, rich, bright, slightly effervescent, juicy, silky, and layered with a gentle watery texture it drinks like liquid gold. The first impression is the stunning balance of this brew followed by a stellar elegance. Look for juicy flavors such as strawberry, fleshy pear, mango, papaya, and sweet rice that float from start to quick and dry finish. If you have a “thing” against Ginjo sake, maybe it’s time for you to get your Sawahime on to finally taste pure excellence. WORD: World Class WINE: Expressive Reds/Lively Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, crab, lobster, oysters, caviar, scallops, Yakitori, and cheese and fruit plates.