About this SPIRIT
Dewazakura Sake Brewery
There are thousands of saké breweries in Japan and Dewasakura is located in Yamagata prefecture, and is one of the most prestigious. It was one of the first to seek to introduce a cool fermentation process with the aim of creating a delicate, refined product which could be drunk chilled. An effusive flowery bouquet is the unmistakable footprint of sakes from the Dewazakura Brewery in Yamagata Prefecture. Light, fragrant and delicious, the brewery’s ginjo labels are especially popular in Japan. Often called “winedrinkers’ sakes,” they do indeed possess fruity flavor notes reminiscent of certain white wines. They are totally free of any aftertaste and finish crisply and cleanly on the palate.
First, however, a bit of background. The brewing process for saké is very complex and takes much longer than for the production of beer or wine. The variety of rice used for saké, Sakamai, is not the same as that used for eating. It features larger, softer grains, and is more expensive, since it is only grown in certain areas and requires special cultivation techniques. 75% of all saké is made for commercial, mass-market use, and is produced by adding industrial alcohol and sugar to the fermenting rice. The result is undistinguished.
High-quality saké, however, is a labour of love, and the first requirement is to mill and polish the grains of rice to remove the fibre and protein, which form the outer husk. This leaves behind the central grain of starch, and as a rule the higher the percentage of the outer shell removed, the finer the resultant saké. Fermentation takes place slowly at 15°C or less, so often lasts months, but the low temperature is vital to maintain aroma and freshness.
The fermentation process requires the use of a microbe called Koji, similar to the agent which creates blue cheese, as this converts the starch in the rice grain to sugar. Yeast is added to convert the sugar into alcohol. In beer production this is a 2-stage process, but in the case of saké this happens simultaneously; it is called “multiple parallel fermentation”, and is a unique feature of saké production which distinguishes it from any other brewing process.
The quality of the water in which the rice grains are steeped prior to heating and subsequent fermentation is extremely important; semi-hard water is needed as it is low in iron and manganese, and this creates a more rounded quality in the finished product, free from harshness.
High-quality saké should be served chilled; saké served warm is generally made from lower-grade ingredients which the heating process is designed to disguise. Age is not highly valued in saké as freshness, fruitiness and smoothness are the qualities most revered.
There are three main categories of high-quality saké, named, in ascending order of quality, Junmai, Junmai-Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo. The higher qualities are usually linked to the percentage of grain left after the polishing and milling process, with Junmai Daiginjo often being made from grains where a mere 30% of the original volume remains.
Saké is, of course, usually consumed with Japanese food, but I see no reason why it should not partner Western food perfectly well. In terms of texture, weight and acidity profile it seems to most closely resemble White Burgundy or White Hermitage, so I would recommend serving it between 12-15 degrees with fish dishes and white meats.
Rice
Alcoholic beverages made from rice, are based on the fermentation of rice starch which converts to natural sugars and alcohol. Unlike the production of beer which utilises mashing to convert starch to sugars, the rice beverage making relies on action of acids or enzymes like amylase.
Rice-based beverages typically have a higher alcohol content, 18%–25% abv, than still wine (9%–15%), and a higher alcohol content than the standard beers (usually 4%–6%).
Sake (a Japanese rice-based brewed alcohol) is misleadingly referred to as Rice Wine, although unlike wine, in which alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in grapes, sake is produced by means of a brewing process more akin to beer.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
This top-scoring sake was the winner of the London International Wine Challenge 2008.
This has the delicate flowering-meadow aroma profile characteristic of a Daiginjo sake that has been crafted through a slow fermentation process of 26 days at a low temperature of 10ºC or less. After the addition of the Koji enzyme, a type of yeast called Ogawa is also added to the rice in order to complete its fermentation and to add a fruity spectrum of tropical flavours typical of this breed of Japanese yeast.
The rice for this Daiginjo has been polished to a grade where just 45% of the original grain was left, making it a light bodied sake with a rounded palate. Best enjoyed with light appetizers or by itself would be amazing too!
Alejandro Noda Vila, London Shop Advisor
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