|
|
|
 |
 |
| |
A
SUPERB SIPPER WITH SUPPER |
|
|
|
|
Premium Sakes
For All Seasons
Many "microbrew" sakes are
at their best served cold -- but some take well to warming.
To unravel the mysteries of sake, read on...and check out
our featured sakes of the season, which include some unusual
types, such as sparkling and aged sake.
The flavors of "premium"
or "microbrew" sakes are wonderfully subtle and
complex, and heating would have an adverse effect on many
of them, dulling their marvelous nuances. Certain types of
better sakes, however, really come into their own when warmed
(though gradually, and never to the point of being really
hot).
For the fall and
winter we are featuring on this page a few sakes that show
their finer facets when warmed -- their flavors bloom beautifully.
Very full-bodied/full-flavored sakes or those that are somewhat
aged -- a relatively uncommon feature -- reveal enhanced aromas
and flavors through warming. Sake should be warmed by placing
the opened bottle (if it's a small 300ml size), or some of
the sake poured into a sake pitcher, in water that's been
heated to boiling then removed
from the burner. Never place
the sake itself in a pot directly over a burner. Experiment
with sake temperatures ranging from luke-warm to about 120
degrees Farenheit. Do not ever heat sake in a microwave
oven -- the flavors will definitely be negatively altered.
When some of the heartier
premium sakes are gently heated, the subtle interplays of
their flavor elements express themselves in fascinatingly
different ways depending on just how warm
the sake is. The equivalent of the sommelier in finer restaurants
in Japan is often expert in heating a particular sake to just
the right temperature to accompany a specific dish.
Sake served chilled
-- the norm for many premium sakes, especially at the Ginjo
and Daiginjo levels (see below for definitions) -- can be
a delicious revelation -- especially when paired with fish,
vegetables, and refined pasta or rice dishes and other lighter
foods beyond the realm of sushi and sashimi. They're lively
and refreshing, stimulating the palate with their delicately
intriguing flavors, no matter the weather.
Fine sakes from smaller
individual artisanal breweries, often designated Tokubetsu
Junmai, Junmai Ginjo or Junmai Daiginjo (see our Sake Primer
below), are much more refined than mass-produced sakes. There
are various significant differences in how they're made and
how they taste. They take the pleasures of sake to a totally
different level. While the labor-intensive and quality measures
make them more expensive than industrial brands, we feel they're
more than worth the difference in price -- and we hope you'll
agree as you experiment with them.
There's an encouragingly open-minded movement among trendy
restaurateurs (in non-Japanese restaurants) to include sakes
on their wine lists -- mainly serving the Ginjo and Daiginjo
bottlings chilled, to retain all the nuances of their exquisitely
subtle flavors. These artisinal sakes are turning up not only
in restaurants featuring raw bars or Asian cuisine, but also
in a range of establishments where there is an informed inventiveness
in wine and food pairing.
What we refer to as "premium" or "microbrew"
sakes are made in relatively small quantities, by small producers,
using specially selected varieties of rice, from which much
of the grain is milled away to leave the most pure and delicately
flavored heart of the rice. You can learn more about how they're
produced in our "Sake Primer."
We've significantly increased the sake
selection at Prospect in the past year to include several
more microbrews in a range of styles. We've chosen 4 delectable
sakes here that take well to warming, and are of course excellent
chilled, to introduce you to a variety of styles. A more extensive
listing of our sakes follows the featured ones -- and we encourage
you to come into the shop to see our full range. If you're
new to premium sake, you might enjoy perusing our "Sake
Primer" to help you appreciate the different bottlings
we offer. We hope you enjoy expanding your sake horizons!
|
|
Sake
is generally thought of as wine, even though it is brewed
from a grain (rice), as is beer.
Many
elements in sake-making influence its quality: the origin,
variety and degree of milling of the rice, the nature of the
water used in brewing, the fermentation temperature, the type
of koji (rice malt: a mold containing enzymes that
convert rice starches to sugars), the yeast strain, the gentleness
of filtration.
Sake
rice varieties are different from those for eating; the starch
is concentrated in the center of the grain. For finer sakes
a significant portion of the grain is polished away -- the
outer parts that contain what are considered undesirable fat
and protein.
The
fermentation itself proceeds in several stages. A starter
is created by adding yeast to a mixture of water, rice and
koji, with perhaps some lactic acid; this develops
over a couple of weeks.
The koji mold will have been cultivated on specially
steamed rice for up to two days, then added, with plain rice,
usually in three batches, to the fermenting sake mixture.
More water, rice and koji are added in a larger tank
for the continuing fermentation of the sake, which might take
up to a month or so.
The
fully fermented sake is then filtered and water is usually
added to dilute the sake down from the 17%-20% natural alcohol
level to about 15%. After bottling, sake is aged briefly --
usually for about six months -- before shipping, to smooth
it out a bit.
Each
of these stages is quite complex and delicate and is carried
out under the supervision of a toji, the chief sake
maker.
|
| |
| |
Junmai
Literally, "pure
rice"-- these sakes are brewed using
only rice, water, koji and yeast; no alcohol
is added. |
Tokubetsu
This word is
usually seen accompanying "Junmai"
and means "special." It designates
sake made from rice milled to 65% or
less of its volume. |
Ginjo
At least 40% of each
rice grain has been ground away in the polishing
process; quality control is greater all down
the line, including fermenting at lower temperatures
and pressing by hand. |
Daiginjo
At least 50% of each
rice grain has been polished away. All of
the stages of fermentation are handled with
great care, and the resulting sake is light
and delicate. |
Nama
Unpasturized sake, which
must be kept cold; it has an especially fresh
flavor. |
Nigori
Sake that is cloudy
because some of the rice and koji rice from
fermentation are not filtered out. |
|
|
|
|
|
Harushika
Tokimeki
"Fall in Love"(Bihappo Junmai)
(Nara)
$14.99 [300ml]
A delightful sparkling sake that is brightly
refreshing -- all the more so because of its low alcohol content
(6-7%). Its flavors recall summery sorbets -- in flavors of lemon,
or white or yellow melon, with just a soupçon of sweetness.
Serve chilled and keep refrigerated (only lightly pasteurized --
almost Nama).
|
 |
|
Ichinokura
Himezen
"Princess"(Junmai)
(Miyagi)
$26.99 [500ml]
Also a low alcohol sake (8%) -- a treat
for those who like their sake not too dry. Clear and lively but
subtle citrus notes hinting at pineapple and passionfruit lead to
a crisp and lightly pithy finish. The texture is seductively suave.
|
 |
|
Kaika
Kazeno Ichirin
"Flower in the Wind"(Junmai
Ginjo)
(Tochigi)
$28.99 [500ml]
From the oldest brewery in Tochigi prefecture,
founded in 1673, comes this very flavorful but delicate sake with
a gently smooth texture. The brewers themselves cultivate the special
Wakamizu and Omachi rice, and Kaika's spring water has been named
one of the 100 best waters in Japan. The Kaika sakes are distinctive
for their fruit aromas and flavors, and the Kazeno Ichirin hints
at Asian pear and strawberry, with subtly nutty notes adding appealing
complexity.
|
 |
|
Hanahoto
Kijoshu
"Gorgeous Bird" (Junmai
Kijoshu)
(Hiroshima)
$41.99 [500ml]
A rare and truly extraordinary aged sake. Eight
years of maturation yield a luxurious liquid treat that recalls
a refined, medium-sweet Oloroso Sherry. Richly redolent of crème
caramel, coffee, chocolate, walnuts, chestnuts, dark honey and dried
fruits, it still manages to feel clear and lively on the palate.
This exquisitely complex Kijoshu would make a wonderfully unusual
dessert wine or after dinner drink, served chilled or on the rocks.
|
. |
|
Prospect's Current Collection of
Premium Sakes
We've indicated, in many instances, whether the
sake is best served chilled (C) or can be enjoyed both chilled and
warmed (C or W)
Akitabare Koshiki Juntsukuri "Northern Skies"
Junmai (300ml)
- $10.99 (C)
Akitabare Koshiki Juntsukuri "Northern Skies" Junmai
(720ml)
- $23.99 (C)
Chiyonosono "Sacred Power" Junmai Ginjo (300ml)
- $23.99 (C)
Dewazakura "Sakura Boy" Mini-Daiginjo (300ml) -
$15.99 (C)
Dewazakura Oka "Cherry Bouquet" Ginjo (720ml) -
$30.99 (C)
Dewazakura Dewasansan "Green Ridge" Ginjo (720ml)
- $32.99 (C)
Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo (300ml)
- $20.99 (C)
Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo (720ml)
- $41.99 (C)
Fukunishiki "Happy Fortune" Junmai (720ml) - $17.99
(C or W)
Gokyo "Five Bridges" Junmai (720ml) - $29.99 (C
or W)
Hanamoto Kijoshu Junmai Kijoshu (500ml) - $41.99 (C)
Harushika Extra Dry "Spring Deer" Junmai (720ml)
- $25.99 (C)
Harushika Tokimeki "Spring Deer - Fall in Love" Bihappo
Junmai (300ml)
- $14.99 (C)
Hitorimusume Nigori (300ml) - $10.99 (C)
Hitorimusume Nigori (720ml) - $22.99 (C)
Hitorimusume Sayaka "Only One Daughter" Junmai
(300ml)
- $7.99 (C or W)
Hitorimusume Sayaka "Only One Daughter" Junmai
(720ml)
- $26.99 (C or W)
Hoyo Kura No Hana "Fair Maiden" Daiginjo (500ml)
- $28.99 (C)
Hoyo Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml) - $26.99 (C or W)
Hoyo Manamusume "Farmer's Daughter" Junmai (720ml)
- $21.99
Ichinokura Himezen "Princess" Junmai (500ml) -
$26.99 (C)
Ichinokura Taru [cedar barrel aged] (500ml) - $25.99 (C or
W)
Jizake Tenzan Junmai Genshu (720ml) - $38.99 (C or W)
Kaika Kazeno Ichirin Junmai Ginjo (500ml) $28.99 (C)
Kamoizumi "Autumnal Elixir" Junmai Daiginjo (500ml)
- $27.99 (C)
Kamoizumi Komekome "Happy Bride" (500ml) - $23.99 (C)
Kamoizumi Nigori (500ml) - $23.99 (C)
Kamoizumi Shusen "Three Dot" Junmai (900ml) - $26.99
(C or W)
Kariho Namahage "Devil's Mask" Junmai (720ml) -
$26.99 (C or W)
Kitaya Ai No Hime Beni (180ml) - $8.99 (C)
Kitaya Junmai (720ml) -$19.99 (C or W)
Kitaya Junmai (300ml) - $9.99 (C or W)
Koshi No Sasameyuki Junmai (720ml) $22.99 (C or W)
Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri "Mirror of Truth" Junmai
(720ml)
- $25.99 (C or W)
Meibo Yowano Tsuki "Midnight Moon" Junmai Ginjo (500ml)
- $22.99 (C)
Meisosui Junmai Ginjo (720ml) - $33.99
Mineno Hakubai "White Plum Blossom" Junmai (720ml)
- $26.99 (C or W)
Nanbu Bijin "Southern Beauty" Junmai Ginjo (720ml)
- $39.99 (C)
Nanbu Touji Tokubetsu Junmai [Organic] (720ml) - $26.99 (C)
Niwa No Uguisu Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml) - $24.99 (C)
Ohyama " Big Mountain" Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml)
- $26.99 (C or W)
Otokoyama "Man's Mountain" Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml)
- $25.99 (C or W)
Rihaku "Dreamy Clouds"Nigori Tokubetsu Junmai (300ml)
- $17.99 (C)
Rihaku "Wandering Poet" Junmai Ginjo (300ml) -
$17.99 (C)
Rihaku "Wandering Poet" Junmai Ginjo (720ml) -
$35.99 (C)
Sato No Homare "Pride of the Village" Junmai Ginjo
(300ml)
- $25.99 (C)
Sawanotsuru Zuicho (1.8 Liter) - $37.49 (C or W)
Shintaro Junmai Ginjo (720ml) - $23.99 (C)
Shirataki "White Waterfall" Junmai (300ml) - $9.99
(C or W)
Shirayuki Nama (300ml) - $5.99 (C)
Taihei-Zan Kimoto "Grand Mountain" Junmai (720ml)
- $24.99 (C or W)
Tedorigawa Yamahai "Silver Mountain" Junmai (720ml)
- $26.99 (C or W)
Tsukasabotan "King of Peony" Junmai (720ml) - $22.99
(C or W)
Ugo No Tsuki Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml) - $22.99 (C)
Wakatake Onikoroshi "Demon Slayer" Daiginjo (720ml)
- $38.99 (C)
Zen Tokubetsu Junmai (720ml) - $23.99 (C)
|
|
