Country: | Japan |
Region: | Saijo |
Winery: | Kamoisumi Brewing Company |
Grape Type: | Hattan, Chusei Shinsenbon(Sake) |
Vintage: | NV |
Bottle Size: | 500 ml |
Inviting aromas of mint, marshmallow and Asian pear pull you into this drink. Surprisingly dry, this Nigori (cloudy) style sake has a rich, chewy texture. The intriguing mid palate features mint, white chocolate, and tart cherries. The finish belies our expectations with an elegant, softness of minerals that settles in a dry finish.
Pair with roast duck, dry-rub ribs, full flavored country pate, and fruit and nut desserts of light sweetness.
Mildly ripe Coulommiers or Brie, Italian Raschera.
This Junmai Daiginjo has a beautiful nose full of banana, melon and star anise. The all natural brewing process gives this sake a bright fresh palate of plum, lime and minerality with a clean dry finish. A very food friendly sake, and is thought to be best after the meal with a light, smooth, rich cow's milk cheese.
POLISHING RATIO: 40%
ALCOHOL: 16-17%
SMV +/-: +1.0
ACIDITY: 1.2
RICE KOJI: HATTANISHIKI
RICE KAKE: HATTANISHIKI
YEAST STRAIN: PROPRIETARY YEAST
FOOD PAIRINGS: Poached Lobster, Seared Scallops, Tofu, Steamed Dumplings
CHEESE PAIRINGS: Brillat Savarin, Cambozola, Dulce Latte Gorgonzola, Mimolette
Sake Eikun Junmai Ginjo Water Lords is made with Iwai rice.
Eikun sake uses water from a source called "Fusui", rated as one of the top 100 sources of water in Japan. This water source is located just south of the ancient Japanese, and still cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto.
Aromas of macadamia oatmeal cookie, spicy zucchini bread, and vanilla cream with a satiny fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a layered, banana custard, jicama, salted whole nut, apple, and radish nuanced finish. A Wonderfully vibrant and flavorful sake.-Beverage Tasting Institute 94 points (Exceptional)
RATING: 94 points (Exceptional)
CATEGORY: Junmai Ginjo Sake, Sake
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 15.3%
TASTING LOCATION: In Our Chicago Tasting Room
TASTING DATE: Dec-05-2012
WINE ID: 200768
Inviting aromas of mint, marshmallow and Asian pear pull you into this drink. Surprisingly dry, this Nigori (cloudy) style sake has a rich, chewy texture. The intriguing mid palate features mint, white chocolate, and tart cherries. The finish belies our expectations with an elegant, softness of minerals that settles in a dry finish.
Pair with roast duck, dry-rub ribs, full flavored country pate, and fruit and nut desserts of light sweetness.
Mildly ripe Coulommiers or Brie, Italian Raschera.
Rice milling: 60%
Rice varietal: Iwai (Only available in Kyoto)
Alcohol: 15%
Sake meter value: +3.0
Acidity: 1.3
Tasting Notes: --------
Eikun sake uses water from a source called "Fusui", rated as one of the top 100 sources of water in Japan. This water source is located just south of the ancient Japanese, and still cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto.
Review:
"Clear with a platinum blue cast. Aromas of coconut milk, melon, pear and rice pudding with a with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a vanilla, apple, and pepper accented finish. A robust and lively sake that will sing with spicy Asian cuisine."
- Beverage Testing Institute (July 2nd 2014), 91 pts
Rice milling: 60%
Rice varietal: Iwai (Only available in Kyoto)
Alcohol: 15%
Sake meter value: +3.0
Acidity: 1.3
Tasting Notes: --------
Eikun sake uses water from a source called "Fusui", rated as one of the top 100 sources of water in Japan. This water source is located just south of the ancient Japanese, and still cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto.
Review:
"Clear with a platinum blue cast. Aromas of coconut milk, melon, pear and rice pudding with a with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a vanilla, apple, and pepper accented finish. A robust and lively sake that will sing with spicy Asian cuisine."
- Beverage Testing Institute (July 2nd 2014), 91 pts
Kamoizumi Nigori Ginjo Summer Snow is a premium unfiltered sake is rich, creamy and brimming with fresh-from-the-vat flavor. Mildly sweet, and surprisingly robust, it is an excellent introduction to the world of sake enjoyment. Kamoizumi's elegant nigori is a far cry from the heavy, sweet, unfiltered sakes of California. The percentage of moromi added to the pressed sake is about 20 percent, and you don't have to be a nigori fan to enjoy the delicious taste of this specialty, custom-blended ginjo sake.
Rice Variety: Hattan, Chusei Shinsenbon
Polishing Ratio: 58%
Alcohol Percentage: 17-18%
Sake Meter Value: +1.0
Acidity: 1.6
Yeast Type: Setouchi 21
The Kamoisumi Brewing Company Brewery
From December through March, the Saijo area west of Hiroshima has an average temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity. The water is mildly alkaline. The rice is good. It is one of the most favored brewing locales in the entire Japanese archipelago.
The Maekake family, who run the Kamoizumi brewery, started out as rice farmers who became landlords and then moved into "value added" areas such as rice milling and eventually sake brewing at the onset of the modern era in 1910. In 1965, Kamoizumi became one of a pioneering group
of ten breweries who committed to junmai sake production at a time when breweries all over Japan were heavy-handedly adding brewers alcohol to their vats to make as much money as possible.
In 1971, Kamoizumi introduced its first junmai label. At the time, it was the practice to filter the pressed sake through charcoal to remove impurities and attain the pure, colorless state that was the aesthetic ideal. The Kamoizumi brewers felt, however, that these "impurities" were essential characteristics of the sake itself and that to remove them entirely was to compromise the essential nature of its identity.
No brewery in Japan has taken a stronger stand for individuality than Kamoizumi. Their sake has an attitude: robust, tawny, full-flavored, yet with the smooth finish and easy drinkability that
are the hallmarks of technical mastery. Aging and blending are paramount, and when finally released, the Kamoizumi labels pair well with meat dishes and Chinese cuisine, a rarity in the sake world. For the connoisseur, their supple balance of sweetness, acidity, astringency and the elusive flavor component of "umami" is without peer.
Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana is 100% Syrah.
Black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure with depth and well-integrated tannins.
Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.
Manual harvest, selection of the grapes from the "Chaillot" parcel, full clusters, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (new old barrels) The average age of the vines is 11 years. Yield: 25 hl/ha
Review:
"Dark purple. Highly perfumed, oak-spiced black and blue fruits, incense, vanilla and potpourri on the hugely perfumed nose, along with hints of licorice, smoked meat and mocha. Stains the palate with concentrated, spice-laced blueberry, cassis, cherry-vanilla and espresso flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Broad, polished tannins add shape to a strikingly long, smoke- and spice-driven finish that strongly echoes the floral and blue fruit notes. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2022), 97 pts
Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vintage Brut Grand Eclat is 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the chalky soils of Chouilly.
This Champagne is full of elegance and finesse. Very complex nose, with a bouquet of aromas dominated by honey, brioche and notes of dried fruits, hazelnuts and sweets. Perfectly matured.