A Passionate Foodie

Later this month, SakéOne will release a couple new, organic Saké: Momokawa Organic Nigori and Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo. These will be the first Sakés to carry the USDA organic seal of approval. SakéOne just attained organic certification in April after complying with the standards of the USDA and the organic certifier Oregon Tilth.

The two new Sakés will come in 750ml and 375ml bottles. Plus, the Momokawa line usually comes in blue bottles but these new organic ones will come in more eco-friendly, green bottles. Even the bottle caps will be short to minimize materials and will be recyclable.

I look forward to tasting these organic Sakés.

I have previously rhapsodized about the beauty of Saké names. They seem so much more evocative than the names of many different wines. And Saké names often have a close connection to nature, which appears a common element of Japanese culture. This conjunction of beauty and nature extends even further in the realm of Saké.

The Japanese even have terms for drinking Saké at particular times, especially when nature is involved. Here are a few examples.

Tsukimi-Zake: This is drinking Saké while observing the autumn moon.

Yukimi-Zake: This is drinking Saké while watching the snow falling.

Hoshimi-Zake: This is drinking Saké while observing the stars.

Hanami-Zake: This is drinking Saké while watching the cherry blossoms.

Why aren’t there similar terms for drinking wine under such circumstances? Are we less close to nature? Or is our language just more restricted? Is it something we don’t really consider? When is the last time you sat watching the stars as you sipped wine? Do you make an effort to drink wine while watching stars? Are there any natural events where you commonly drink wine?

Honestly, I probably don’t consider wine under those situations too often. If it occurs, it is more a matter of circumstances than intent. I might be sitting out in the yard as night falls, sipping a wine. I did not plan to drink wine with the stars in the sky, but I just happened to be there. But maybe I will start considering it more.

How about you?

Pacific International Liquor, Inc., which was established in 1997, specializes in the import and export of Asian liquors. They had several different brands of Saké available for tasting.

The first Saké I tried was the Kurosawa “Black River” Junmai Daiginjo from the Nagano region of Japan. This was an excellent Saké, not too floral with some subtle fruit flavors and a clean, smooth taste.

Next up was the Hatsumago Shozui “First Grand Child” Junmai Daiginjo from the Yamagata region. This Saké was more full bodied, with a richer, creamier mouth feel. It had more floral than fruit flavors with plenty of complexity and a long finish.

Then I tasted the Kurosawa Junmai Kimoto from the Nagano region. A very nice Saké with good fruit and a bit of an earthy taste to it as well. Very smooth and clean taste that makes you desire more.

The final Saké I tried was the Okunomatsu Ginjo from the Fukushima region. Crisp, smooth, and clean with excellent fruit and plenty of complexity. Such great flavor that this too was another of my favorites of the tasting.

Another Sake table was run by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., an international importer and marketer. Around 1985, the Maison Joseph Drouhin firm took financial control of Dreyfus, Ashby. Joseph Drouhin is a Burgundy wine grower and négociant in France. They concentrate on high quality wines and liquors and their portfolio includes many different countries, from France to Switzerland, from Spain to India.

They import Saké from one Japanese brewery, Hakutsuru, which was established in 1743 and is one of the oldest Saké producers in Japan. The word “Hakutsuru” means white crane, a graceful bird. The brewery is located in Kobe, in the heart of the Nada region.

I tried two of their Sakés, and both are made with the renowned Yamadanishiki rice and Nada’s famed natural spring water “Miyamizu.”

The Hakutsuru Superior Junmai Ginjo ($9 for a 300ml bottle) was light with excellent fruit flavors. It was a smooth and crisp Saké, so easy to drink. Some complexity plus it was well balanced. This is exactly the type of Saké I love. It is something I could sit and drink all night long. It would also go well with food, especially Sashimi. An excellent choice for someone new to Saké. This was one of my favorites of the tasting.

I also tried the Hakutsuru Sho Une “Soaring Clouds” Junami Daiginjo ($24 for 720 ml). This is their highest quality Saké and I too enjoyed it very much. It has more floral notes on the nose and palate. It is also more complex and has a longer finish than just the Ginjo. It is very smooth and well balanced. You lose some of the fruitier elements and get a bit more of rice and a nutty taste. At the price, this is an excellent value for a Daiginjo. As it has more floral tastes, I think this is better with food. It is not something I would just drink all night, without food, like I would the Ginjo. This Daiginjo is certainly comparable to others that sell for $100 or more.

I skipped the table of Sidney Frank Importing as they only had Gekkeikan Saké and I am very familiar with their product line. Though I am not a fan of much of their line, I am very enthusiastic about their Gekkeikan Horin Junmai Daiginjo ($30). For the money, this is great value for a Daiginjo.

I also only made a brief stop at the Takara Saké table. Takara is located in Berkley, California, and I did visit their brewery a few years ago. Two of their major products line include Sho Chiku Bai Saké an their Hana flavored Saké line. I am familiar with much of their product line as well though they did have one Saké that I wanted to try.

The Sho Chiku Bai Junmai Nama is an organic Saké with a SMV of +5, making it dry. It had a clean flavor, was dry and refreshing. There were subtle fruit flavors with only a touch of rice tones. A good chilled Saké for a summer day. It sells for about $2.25 for a 180ml bottle so it is very inexpensive as well.

I should also note that Takara is responsible for bringing in Kissui Vodka, which I have previously reviewed and enjoyed very much.

The second Saké table I visited was manned by representatives from Banzai Beverage Group. They are the ones who also ran the Sparkling Saké table at Bubble-Licious. Though they had the Sparkling Saké available again, they also had a few non-Sparkling varieties available as well.

I first tasted the Hakurakusei “Legend of Stars” Junmai Daiginjo ($50-60). This Saké is brewed by Niizawa Saké Brewing Co. from the Miyagi region of Japan (no relation to Mr. Miyagi of “The Karate Kid”). They used Yamadanishiki rice. 60% of the rice grain was polished away and its has a SMV of +5, making it dry. This was a nice Saké, more floral than fruity, with some interesting herbal flavors as well.

Next, I tried the Jokigen “Happiness” Junmai Ginjo (about $25-30). This Saké is brewed by Sakata Brewery Co. from the Yamagata region of Japan. They used Oyamanishiki rice. 45% of the rice grain was polished away and its has a SMV of +4, making it dry. This Saké had a fruty nose, melon, lychee and other tropical fruits. Those fruit flavors came out on the palate as well. A very smooth, easy-drinking Saké that is sure to please most everyone. This would certainly be a good choice for someone new to Saké. It shows some of the potential complexity of Saké with the myriad of fruit flavors.

Finally, I tried the Miyanoyuki “Snow Shrine” Junmai Ginjo ($12 for 300ml). This Saké is brewed by Miyazaki Honten Co. from the Shiga region of Japan. This is a pleasant Saké, smooth and flavorful, but I did not think it was anything special. It was an average Saké, worth drinking but it probably won’t impress a Saké fan. Though it would be a very good entry level Saké for someone new to Saké. And at this price, it is a good value.

At most Grand Wine Tastings, you are lucky to find a single table with some Saké. That was certainly the case at the Boston Wine Expo. But it was a special treat at the recent UNLVino to find six tables devoted to Saké. Six!!!

I was already familiar with some of the Saké but some was very new to me as well. I was quite eager to try the unfamiliar Saké, to find some new treasures. And I was not disappointed. There were a number of excellent Sakés to be found.

The first table belonged to SakeOne, a Saké brewery located in Oregon. I was already familiar with most of their Momokawa and Moonstone brands. Their Momokawa Saké are primarily Junmai Ginjos, though they have a Nigori as well. Their Moonstone line are infused Sakés, with flavors including Asian Pear, Raspberry, Plum and Coconut Lemongrass. Both of their lines are produced in Oregon.

Of their line, I had not tried before the G Joy, a Junmai Ginjo Genshu ($20). The G line is intended to cater to American palates. I found this Saké to be very smooth, with lots of fruit on the nose and palate. A very easy drinking style that lacks any rice flavors or aromas. I can understand why this is supposed to appeal more to an American palate, especially those who have little experience with Saké. It certainly is a pleasing Saké which should appeal to a wide audience.

I also tried a cocktail made with the Moonstone Coconut Lemongrass called Asian Equation. This cocktail is made with 1 1/2 parts Moonstone Coconut Lemongrass, 1 1/2 parts Ty Ku, and 1 part sweet and sour mix. It is then served on the rocks. The Moonstone Coconut Lemongrass is a Nigori Genshu, so it has some sweetness in it. The cocktail itself was quite interesting, with a rich coconut flavor (which I love) and it was not overly sweet. It also had hints of other fruits as well, due to the Ty Ku. This would make a good summer drink.

SakeOne also imports Saké through a partnership with Momokawa Brewing in Japan. The Murai family owns the Momokawa brewery and have given their name to a line of imported Saké, the Murai Family. The Murai Family line makes a variety of different Sakés, from Nigori to Dai Ginjo.

I first got to taste the Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo ($29 for 720ml). This Saké had a strong rice smell though on the palate the rice taste was much milder. It also was very smooth and had some interesting fruit flavors and a touch of herbal notes. I enjoyed this Saké though it might not appeal to those new to Saké, those not used to strong rice aromas. A good price for this quality of Saké.

I then got to taste the Murai Family Daiginjo ($69). This is their highest quality Saké. 65% of the rice grain has been polished away. This Saké had a fascinating nose, with a unique blend of fruity and floral aromas. The taste also contained fruity and floral elements in a well balanced mix. It was a smooth Saké with a long finish and plenty of complexity. It had a rich body and definitely would be good paired with light foods. Again, this is not a Saké that is going to appeal to the newcomer to Saké, but those who are already fans should definitely appreciate this fine Saké.

At many wine expos, there are often a few non-wine alcohols available as well, though often with some type of wine connection. One such mysterious example at UNLVino was Ty Ku, an intriguing new liquer. It ia partially mysterious as the marketing appears directed to that end. For example, they do not provide you a full list of the ingredients in Ty Ku. Plus, some of the links on their website, especially the FAQ and Media Sheet, do not work. Thus, there is not a lot of concrete information about the product.

It is a green-colored liquer that comes in a frosted, pyramidal bottle. The bottle also glows when you pick it up. So it is going to look interesting at a partially darkened bar when the bottle’s light goes on. The liquer is a blend of about twenty different ingredients, allegedly all natural. Two of the ingredients are Saké and Vodka, though the liquer is only 40 proof. It is said that this may be the first Saké liquer.

Of the other known ingredients, they include such items as yuzu, pomegranate, prickly pear, oolong tea, green tea, honeydew and plum. Plus, it includes ginseng, damiana and dragon’s eye, all of which are so-called natural aphrodisiacs. Damiana is a shrub native to Central and South America and its leaves are thought to be an aphrodisiac. Dragon’s eye, also known as longans, is a fruit that also is an alleged aphrodisiac. There are around 6-7 ingredients which are unknown. I should also mention that Ty Ku is supposed to be low in calories, unlike some of the more sugary liquers on the market.

I tasted the Ty Ku straight, to find out its flavors as a stand alone. First, it definitely was not cloying sweet. There were more of a hint of sweetness and it felt more natural, more like the sweetness of good fruit. The liquer had an intriguing blend of fruit flavors, both exotic and familiar. I got a lot of melon and pear flavors, as well as touches of other herbal flavors. It presents more of a tropical taste and I did enjoy it. Though it probably would do best in cocktails rather than just straight. I cannot vouch for its alleged aphrodisiacs though.

Their website presents plenty of cocktail recipes for the Ty Ku. It certainly seems versatile enough to mix with most anything. And it probably makes some good summertime cocktails. I think it is a very different liquer and I would recommend it.

Ty Ku sells for around $30-35 for a 750 ml bottle. I am sure the glowing bottle contributes to a decent portion of its price. I don’t think that was necessary as the Ty Ku could stand on its own as a good liquer. But gimmicks sometimes help sell products. Ty Ku is currently available in New York, Nevada, and the Virgin Islands though it will soon be available in other markets as well.

Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Sparkling Wines. Don’t we all enjoy a bit of bubbly sometimes? We may most often drink bubbly at special occasions. But we can enjoy it at any time. It makes for a great apertif to start any meal. Or just to sit and enjoy some with friends. There is no need to wait for a holiday or special time. Just enjoy!

As mentioned previously, the 34th Annual UNLVino wine tasting events were held in Las Vegas from April 3-5, 2008. Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, in partnership with the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, hosted the events. One of those events presented plenty of Champagne and Sparkling wines.

The first UNLVino event, held on April 3, was Bubble-Licious , a tasting of over 70 Champagnes and Sparkling wines. It was held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Unfortunately, I was only able to stop by briefly at this event due to my dinner reservations. Luckily my reservations were for Nobu, which is at the Hard Rock, so I was close to the festivities.

Bubble-Licious was held from 7pm-10pm, which is somewhat in the middle of dinner time, especially if you are planning a longer meal such as a tasting menu or omakase. I would have preferred if the times for the event were different, either earlier, such as 4pm-7pm, or later, such as 9pm-12pm. I was unable to attend the second UNLVino event, Auss-Some and Then Some!, on Friday because it fell in the middle of my dinner reservation.

Bubble-Licious was an impressive event with plenty of available Champagnes and Sparkling wines from all over the world, including South Africa, Japan, Italy, France, Washington, Australia, California, Germany, Oregon, Israel, Spain, and Slovenia. They even had a large table of food. If you were looking for a light dinner, you probably just could have eaten here. It was a well attended event though it still avoided being overly crowded. I actually had no problems reaching the tables where I wanted to taste.

Because of my limited time, I only stopped at two tables. First, was a table of Sparkling Saké from Japan. Second, were some Sparkling wines from Slovenia. Because of my limited time, I wanted to try something different and felt that Slovenian wines would fit that bill. Plus, I am a major fan of Saké so find it hard to resist trying new Saké.

The Saké table was near the front of the room so it certainly stood out to me. The table was manned by representatives from Banzai Beverage Group, which was established in 2003 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. They import from Japan numerous types of Saké as well as Shochu. Three of their offerings stood out to me.

The Tsuki Usagi (”Moon Rabbit”) Sparkling Saké is made by the Ume No Yado brewery in the mountain region of Nara in Japan. This Saké is a Junmai and only has an alcohol content of 7%, making it very low in alcohol. The Saké appears a bit cloudy in the bottle, almost like a Nigori. It is crisp and refreshing on the palate, with a touch of sweetness. It only has a touch of effervescence so the carbonation does not overwhelm. This makes for an interesting apertif or a drink for a warm, summer day.

Hoshiusagi (”Star Rabbit”) Blueberry Infused Sparkling Saké is also made by the Ume No Yado brewery. There are numerous infused Sakés that come in a variety of fruit flavors. Sometimes they tend to be overly sweet but the Star Rabbit was not like that. It had a nice blueberry flavor with only a touch of sweetness that did not overwhelm. The effervescence helped make it crisp and refreshing. A nice alternative on a warm summer day or even a Saké you could pair with certain desserts. Maybe even try pouring some over ice cream.

Okunomatsu Junmai Daiginjo Formula Nippon Sparkling Saké is intended to be a very serious Sparkling wine, something intended to compete with top Champagnes. Because it is a Daiginjo, we know that it is made from the highest quality Saké. Formula Nippon is Japan’s answer to Formula One racing, similar in many ways but with its own unique differences. Rather than celebrating the winner of Formula Nippon with Champagne, one company wanted to create a Sparkling Saké that would take its place. And thus was born this Saké.

The Saké has an alcohol content of about 13% and would retail for over $100. That is certainly a usual price for a high-level Daiginjo. It had a bit of a milky color and a rice/yeast aroma. It definitely felt more like Champagne in your mouth, with intriguing and sometimes subtle fruit flavors. Yet it still possessed a unique Saké flavor. This was a very intriguing Sparkling Saké which should impress. I think it would compare well to Champagne at that price point.

I then moved on to the Spirits of Serendipity Imports table where they were presenting Sparkling wine from Slovenia. Spirits of Serendipity Imports has a focus on sustainable and organic products. Their first product line is Bubbly, their Sparkling wine from Slovenia.

Bubbly is estate grown, produced and bottled by hand in Slovenia, very close to the Austrian border. The vineyards, called Radgonska gorice, have a long history. The first Sparkling wine made in Slovenia was produced in 1852 by Alojz Klenosek. After spending several years working in the Champagne region of France, Klenosek returned to Slovenia, specifically to Styria, a mountainous region stretching from the south of Vienna. He then began to make Sparkling wine which because quite popular. For thirty years, he toiled away producing this wine until in 1882, when he lost his vineyards in a card game to Clotar Bouvier. Bouvier, a powerful and wealthy banker, increased the size of the vineyards. He continued to produce the famous Sparkling wine as well.

Presently, Radgonska gorice vineyard is owned by three local Slovenian investors and operated by share-holding employees. Spirits of Serendipity Imports visited Slovenia and were impressed with their Sparkling wine. The first batch of their new Bubbly came to the U.S. in
December 2006.

There are three types of Bubbly, including the Bubbly Luck, Bubbly Bliss and Bubbly Lovely. Presently, Bubbly may not be available in Massachusetts. It is primarily available in California and Nevada though I am sure its distribution will continue to spread across the country. They are marketing towards a younger, hipper crowd, especially as they are working on a draft variety of their Bubbly.

Their Bubbly Luck is made from 50% Welschriezling, 30% Furmint, and 20% Chardonnay. Welschriezling is not actually related to the Riesling grape. It is grown in both Austria and Slovenia. It is also known by other names, in different countries, including Laski Rizling, Olasz Rizling, Rizling Vlassky and Riesling Italico. It has long had a negative reputation for making poort quality wines but that is undeserved. Furmint, with its homeland in Hungary, is another grape you may be unfamiliar with but which can make excellent wines. Bubbly Luck is available in either Sec or Demi-Sec varieties.

I sampled some of the Demi-Sec. This was an unusual Sparkling wine with a very exotic nose and taste. There were unique spice notes on both the nose and palate, as well as less common fruit flavors. It seemed to me to have more tropical fruit flavors, not the usual suspects. I could not put my finger on the exact nature of several of the flavors. On the familiar side, there was some grapfruit and and almost peach flavors, as well as a tinge of a yeasty side. I enjoyed this, especially because it was so different. The unique flavors made you concentrate more on the wine, trying to discern what you were tasting. At around $15, this would be a good value choice that would be sure you get your friends talking about it.

The Bubbly Bliss is a more traditional Sparkling wine, made from 100% Chardonnay in the Method Champenoise. It is available in Brut Natural, Brut, Sec and Demi-Sec varieties. I tasted the Brut and it definitely was very similar to many Champagnes. It had those butter and oak flavors with a touch of yeast. You also get fruit flavors of apples and melon. Overall, a decent Sparkling wine but nothing out of the ordinary. It tastes like dozens of similar Champagnes. At about $28, it is probably reasonably priced for what you get though I don’t consider it a value.

The Bubbly Lovely is also a more traditional Sparkling wine, made from 100% Pinot Noir in the Method Champenoise. It is available in Sec and Brut varieties. I tasted the Sec and was more impressed with this wine than the Bubbly Bliss. This wine seemed more interesting, with a livelier character than the Bubbly Bliss, despite it being more traditional as well. It had good fruit flavors or red apple, strawberry and raspberry. The touch of sweetness enhanced the flavors without being cloying. It had less of a yeasty taste and was more creamy and smooth. I very much enjoyed this wine and at about $40, this is a reasonable buy.

The Bubbly Luck most impressed me because of its unique tastes. It certainly does not taste like a typical Champagne or Sparkling wine. And at about $15, it is a very good value too. The Bubbly Bliss and Lovely both show that Slovenia can make more traditional Champagne-like wines. Though the Bliss seems too much like everything else on the market. The Lovely though asserts its own character which I prefer.

Overall, Bubble-Licious was a fun event and I do wish I had spent more time there. But, I did get to taste some good wines and I look forward to attending next years’s event.

There is a special springtime treat in Japan, Saké flavored with Sakura (cherry) blossoms. This was something new to me. But I ran across a blog post about it on Kyoto Foodie. Check out the post and see several pictures of the Saké and cherry blossoms. Very interesting.