| Country: | Japan |
| Region: | Hokuriku |
| Winery: | Yoshida Brewing Company |
| Grape Type: | Yamada Nishiki (Sake) |
| Vintage: | NV |
| Bottle Size: | 720 ml |
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
This unpasteurized sake is exciting and lively with a nose full of citrus, apple blossom and shizo. The palate is equally as bold featuring fresh persimmons, marshmallow and slightly underipe stone fruit. The finish is clean showing soft minerality.
POLISHING RATIO: 60%
ALCOHOL: 15.5
SMV +/-: +5.0
ACIDITY: 1.6
RICE KOJI: GOHYAKUMANGOKU
RICE KAKE: KOSHI IBUKI
YEAST STRAIN: K1801
FOOD PAIRINGS: Sushi Nigiri with fatty fish, oysters, omelettes, Lighter Italian, Chinese or French dishes
CHEESE PAIRINGS: Mildly ripe Coulommiers or Brie, Italian Raschera
Fortezza Veceta Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Even tough the name LA VECETA is not present on the label, it is the name of the lady that is present on the front label. The Veceta is the "Lady" that wakes up very early in the Morning to go to work in the vineyard before the sun get too hot to work. On the label she is depicted in the center bent over the ground.
Brilliant straw yellow. On the nose it expresses itself with hints of peach, tropical fruits and citrus fruits and notes of white flowers. In the mouth it is intense, full, tasty and balanced and the notes of red peach perceived on the nose give way to peach in syrup in the mouth.Very versatile and extremely pleasant wine.
Ideal for cheering up an aperitif but goes well with fish-based dishes, fresh cheeses, salads and summer menus. Ideal for cheering up an aperitif but goes well with fish-based dishes, fresh cheeses, salads and summer menus.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Sake By Kysela has been a project in the making for three years now. In the end, we selected a Sake made from the famous Yamada Nishiki rice produced in the Southern Prefecture of Shimane. Flavorful, rich, and clean; this sake is best as an aperitif or with seafood like fluke, dover sole or halibut. Kanpai!!!
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
Sake Tedorigawa Iki Na Onna Lady Luck (720ml) is made from rice with a 60% polishing ratio, it displays striking balance and elegance on the palate: nuanced flavors of honey, nutmeg, clove, and melon make this a simply exceptional libation. Enjoy chilled with a wide array of seafood platters and aperitifs.
A beautifully smooth daiginjo made in the old yamahai style, lovely notes of honey and hints of clove with a long full finish. This specialty sake includes unfiltered Nigori sakes, freshly brewed and unpasteurized Nama sakes, and ultra-rare sparkling sakes.
The Award Winning Sake Brewery
Gassan, also known as Yoshida Sake Brewing Co., Ltd., is located in the small village of Yasugi. Yasugi is in the very Southernmost Japanese Prefecture of Shimane. The Kura or brewery was founded in 1743 and present owner Tomonori Yoshida-san's family took over the property in 1826; hence Yoshida-san is the 5th generation of family involvement and ownership with the Kura.
Over 200 years ago around Yasugi, the Amago-clan was reigning over the Sanin district. There, the clan established a castle where the feudal lord of Amago resided in the Age of Civil Wars. "GASSAN", took its premium sake brand name from the mountain in this area. Their time-honored tradition of sake brewing was established by special permission from the feudal lord of the House of Hirose. They have proudly maintained this tradition, handing down brewing secrets from generation to generation for over 180 years.
Their sake has received the gold award over ten times at the "Zenkoku Shinsyu Kanpyou Kai" (National New-Brewed Sake Contest), the foremost and authoritative contest in the Sake industry.
Gassan produces Tobin Sake or competition sakes from 18-liter tobins. The Tobin sake is very limited in production, but is marketed.
About their Fine Sake
Production is small at 700 Koku (or 14,000 9-liter cases in wine terms). Seven sake types are produced here by the ageless Master Toji, Tanaka-san, who is 84 years young. At artisanal breweries like Gassan water is all important and sure enough all of the water is sourced from mountain springs around Yasugi.
Typical of Western Style Sakes, their Nihon-Shu is big boned, rich and round, and balanced with lactic acid.
Why they got so many awards?
To make quality sake, it really depends on (1) Water, (2) Sake Rice, (3) Toji's Skill.
1. The Water Source:
Their sake is brewed with fine and super soft water, which the lord of the House of Hirose used in their tea ceremonies at the end of Edo period. (late 1800s)
The water Gassan uses for their sake is recognized as one of the best 100 waters in Japan. It was also known as one of the highest quality water in the "Fumai-style tea ceremony". Furthermore, as water varies according to climate conditions, we specially blend in other water sources to precisely control water hardness to maintain our exacting brewing requirements.
2. The Sake Rice:
Gassan does not hesitate to use high quality rice even though it may cost them. They focus on making outstanding sake for sake lovers. The sake mai or rice types used are:
3. The Master Toji's skills are superior to others:
The Master Toji Tanaka-san, is certified as "Modern master craftsman" by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The highly skilled people (a wide variety of things such as an entertainment, food, Metalwork, machine appliance assembling, repair, the sewing of clothes, carpenter) can be certified as "modern master craftsman " that Japanese government wants Masters to pass the technique to the younger generation.
Tanaka-san is also passing all of his skills to younger toji, Adachi-san. The uniqueness of Gassan is the mixture of Classic and Modern Toji skills that effect the flavor in the end.
This is the certificate of "Seishu Senmon Hyoukasha" (Sake Expert Assessor) that Tomonori Yoshida-san holds. There are about only 50 people who are certified. Out of all the 50, Yoshida-san is the Second person of the beginning. This certificate is presented by Alcoholic beverage research institute, the best liquor research organization in Japan. Whoever certified as Sake Expert Assessor, they can be called top taster, just like Master Sommelier in Wine world. Because the exams are so difficult, there are still only about 50 people certified.
Currently, there are about 1300 Kura exist in Japan, but most Kurabito (brewery people) do not hold such certificate. You need not only knowledge of sake, but also tasting skills to be certified. The producer, Yoshida-san is giving a 100% effort to create high quality sake.
Above all results, Gassan's sake is world-class sake
Gassan's sake is very easy and smooth to drink. Their constant pursuit of perfection has led to success at a national level. Now this high quality sake is available in the US.
Woodsy honeycomb, nutshell, and mushroom patch aromas with a satiny fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a delicate savory mushroom stock, chestnut, and golden beet driven finish. A fine choice for tempura. 91 Points -Beverage Tasting Institute
RATING: 91 points (Exceptional)
CATEGORY: Junmai Ginjo Sake, Sake
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 15.4%
TASTING LOCATION: In Our Chicago Tasting Room
TASTING DATE: Dec-05-2012
WINE ID: 200767
In 1992 the Hill-Smith family counted themselves amongst those fortunate enough to own a vineyard upon the famous Coonawarra terra rossa soil over limestone. Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies’ reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance and structure.
Situated in the heart of Coonawarra’s terra rossa strip, The Menzies Estate vineyard lies on a flat plain, approximately 70km from the coast. Given the terrain and influence of the cooling Bonney upwelling, Coonawarra is an ideal location to grow premium Cabernet Sauvignon. Our soil is red sandy loam over limestone, which is classic Cabernet Sauvignon country. The grapes for The Menzies 2017 are from vines planted in 1994 and 1996. Bunches are usually small with small berries, giving concentration via an ideal skin to juice ratio favouring the making of fullbodied reds.
Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention, and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies' reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance, and structure.
Aromas of fresh rosemary, mulberry, violets and exotic spices. Take a sip and you will feel the poise and tension for which great Cabernet is renowned. A wine of great complexity with flavors of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, and mulberries, wrapped in divine tannins and a lovely sweet, dark fruit finish. With decanting in its youth, it is enjoyable as an elegant full-bodied red wine.
Review:
The 2017 The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon is looking good next to the 2016 tasted beside it. It is fresh and vibrant, with layers of complexing dark earth characters, with cigar box, black olive brine, cassis, bramble, milk chocolate and cracked black pepper. This is very good, and it has what I am coming to recognize as a "Yalumba red character": dried herbs, particularly oregano. The juicy splay of fruit through the finish is a highlight.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
Siegel Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Uber Cuvee is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah.
Dark red color, perfumed nose with hints of vanilla. This fruity, cherry flavored wine exhibits round rich flavors that over deliver.
8 weeks of Oak aging, medium toasted barrels, 100% French Oak.
Best with grilled meats and stews.