Welcome to the March Issue of America's sake-centric newsletter. In this edition get a big picture look at the sake market from an importer's perspective, pair sake with Peruvian cuisine, ride the "Black Dragon" and enjoy those Spring Nama sakes.

In this issue:

• Sake Big Picture - 5 Questions For 5 Importers
• Sake Spotlight - Dr. Reg Rector Looks At "The Black Dragon"
• Sake Challenge - Taking Sake Into The West or East
• New Store Arrivals - Spring Namas
• True Sake In The News - SF Chronicle
• Sake Bummer - The Shipping News! (REPEAT)
• Special Events - March 25th Koshu Night
• "Ask Beau" - "Do you get tired of writing all of the sake reviews in your store?"
• The SECRET WORD

Nobody knows the "sake scene in the US" more than the importers of sake. From their vantage point they get to see the movement of sake throughout the states, what sakes do well, and of course how much sake is being sold. Trends and patterns are witnessed first by these guys, and in some cases they even try to influence said trends and patterns (go figure!). There are roughly 15 - what I would call significant - importers in terms of volume and perhaps 15 more that are in the game. Heck there are even several importers who only bring in a brew or two.

So it is no coincidence that I spend a great deal of time with these guys picking their minds and trying to provide as much information from my end as a retailer of their products. The information river is indeed flowing, and as such I felt it would be unique to interview 5 importers of different sized companies and ask them the same 5 "pressing" questions to extract as much usable and interesting information for our delight.

My first target is perhaps the biggest fish in the importing sea. Kazu Yamazaki from Japan Prestige Sake International imports more sake into the United States than any other firm. His stable of brews includes names such as Otokoyama (the #1 imported sake into the US), Wakatake Onikoroshi, Harushika, Nishinoseki, etc. Based in NYC these guys were the first dedicated large-scale sake importing company that competed with the enormous Japanese food companies that dabbled in sake. Armed with a strong portfolio of brews Japan Prestige courted non-Japanese restaurants for the first time, and have spent over a decade trying to get sake in western restaurants.

In traditional Japanese fashion Kazu answered each question in War and Peace fashion, and my hand got tired and bloody from writing down his extended thoughts. So please do excuse the paraphrasing and remember that I never use a recording device, quite the opposite really for I use a sake-soaked sponge of a brain to use my powerful sense of recall. What? What was I just saying? Never mind. Herewith is the first of the"5 For 5" interviews with Kazu Yamazaki:

BT: Define the US sake market? KY: "Simple and complicated. 10 years ago the US market was like a baby. Today it is like young teenager. For a long time there was no education about sake -just bad thoughts of bad sake drinking experiences. Most people thought sake was cheap hot bad sake. And many saw sake as a real hard alcohol - too hard for most. It was thought that only people who like to drink alcohol liked sake, and that made other first timers recoil. And of course the only place to drink sake was in Japanese restaurants. Many people for a long time didn't eat Japanese food, and they didn't have access to sake. But things have slowly changed. People to this day do not really understand the categories of sake - or what those categories really mean in a general flavor/style sense. Many people within the coasts of the US still think that there is only one style of sake - hot. But in the last several years we are seeing an improvement in the understanding of sake and also a trend towards sweeter sakes. More and more people are being exposed to better sakes in different styles of restaurants, and their sense of good sake and bad sake are improving. There is huge potential for this market as the understanding is catching up to the concept of sake." BT: Define your portfolio of sakes and sake breweries? KY: " My father-in-law (founder of the company in Japan) saw a very bad trend in Japan over 40 years ago. He saw a disturbing trend of sake sales sliding down and down. But worse than that the junk sake market was going up. The bad sake was doing better and better because it was more affordable. But the quality was horrible. My father-in-law went against the trend and supported small local brewers who were making very good local sake. They made sake that was loved by their immediate communities but not known elsewhere. So he focused on these small (Jizake) breweries and brought their products national in Japan. The big cities went crazy for the better products. Our portfolio is an extension of this philosophy that small artisan makers of sake do a better job than major brewers. They make better sake and the quality is found in the taste. We represent over 100 of these small breweries and a large portion of their products are available in the US. We had faith in the over-seas market - that they would see the difference in good quality sake - and they have" BT: How have tastes changed in the US market? KY: "Easy! Tastes have gone from dry to fruity. In general most people enjoy a fruitier product with lots of flavor. But we stress trying other categories other than the generally-fruity Ginjo and Dai Ginjo sakes. I myself prefer Junmai grade sake and feel that most Americans will like these sakes eventually. But for now they are still trying to distinguish between Ginjo and Dai Ginjo sake. Price of course plays a big part; many drink more expensive sakes because they think that they will be better. If I pour a Junmai, Ginjo and Dai Ginjo at a sake tasting - most drinkers say they like the Dai Ginjo. Americans like a fruit-filled drinking experience. Clean and fruity is a style that has become very popular. Will this trend to fruitier continue? I don't know. But I do know that balance really is the next step in the learning process. Once consumers find balance in sake then the sweet vs. dry and Junmai vs. Dai Ginjo debate is over. They will just know good sake - fruity or not! BT: Have you had to eliminate any brews or breweries from your portfolio - if so for what reason? KY: "Some sake is not good quality. There are many reasons that sake changes -new sake maker (toji), or the ingredients weren't good, or they made a mistake in production. The point is that there can be a bad year for whatever reason. But if that bad year becomes two or three then yes there is a quality issue and we must make a change - or make the brewery make a serious change. Thanks to people like you we are getting more and more feedback from the customers on what is drinking with quality and what is not. We are also perfecting our shipment processes to keep the products better stored. But yes we drop sakes all of the time and pick up new ones to replace them. In regards to dropping breweries this is a slower process - less common. Many breweries cut themselves as they try to save costs and end-up making a less quality product. And yes many breweries are going out of business because of a drop in demand in Japan. It is hard to make sake and stay in business." BT: Name one sake or brewery in one of your competitor's portfolios that you wish that you had in your portfolio? KY: (lot's of humming and huffing..... a really tough question to ask these guys) "I would say the brewery called Isojiman." (This brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture is imported by Bonzai Beverage Corp.)

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"Sake Spotlight" is a unique section within the Newsletter that takes a closer look at specific sakes that may be purchased at True Sake. I approach different professionals within the industry to give their perspectives and insights to the how, what and why's for very special sakes. These insiders are importers, brewers, authors, sake sommeliers, or just enthusiasts who will take your knowledge base a little further. What I like about this segment is that often my review is quite different than that of the guest professional's adding to the point that there is no right or wrong when discussing your opinion about sake.

This month I am quite pleased to introduce Dr. Reg Rector, who is "one of those kind of guys" who you wish that you could be in some other life. Reg came to the store wearing scrubs post saving countless lives, and I knew within seconds that not only was he a Japanophile, but he knew his libations! Since that day long ago I have had multiple conversations with what I would find out is a "wine-guy" disguised in sake clothing (he has been forgiven) and after each dialogue Reg's words would stick with me in one form or another for quite some time. He has a brilliant way of "description."

So logically I have asked him to share his "description" talents as well speak to his other "project" when not saving humans from themselves! And true to form Reg picked a stellar sake that is quite fun to read about and more fun to drink! Herewith is Dr. Reg Rector's "Sake Spotlight" on Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo called "Black Dragon."

E. Reginald Rector, M.D. AKA Reg Sake: Black Dragon Kokuryu "Junmai Ginjo" Sake I have been a vinophile and sake-zuki for about 10 years. I, along with two other vinophiles, recently started an evolving, online web- based wine community called Vinoyo. Vinoyo is a gathering place to promote the wine (and sake) culture. Check it out, tell me what you think; and if you're not careful, you just might learn something. www.vinoyo.com My sake: Kokuryu or Black Dragon. (koru = black; ryu = dragon). After all, I was born in the year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar. My wife, however, says I was born in the year of the Snake according to the Japanese calendar. Hold the Snake, take the Dragon. Year of the Golden Dragon? Forgedaboutit, I was born in the Year of the Black Dragon. Black Dragon is a recent sake import and now available at True Sake. Beau initially told me about the Dragon when I was planning a trip to Japan several years ago. I searched all of Osaka, eventually finding it at Yamanaka sake-no-mise. I tried it at their restaurant, and bought a bottle back the U.S. I made the mistake of holding onto the bottle for about a year before opening. Black Dragon does not hold well. Drink it immediately. Fortunately, Black Dragon is now available as an import. The bottle and label are beautiful. Understated. Wabi-sabi. If you're looking for inspiration for your next tattoo, you'll be disappointed. You will not find a red-eyed, fire-breathing dragon on the label. I appreciate that the Kokuryu Shuzo (brewery) has not changed the labeling for the American market. The bottle you buy here is exactly what is available in Japan. Unlike many sake, it is not available in large format bottles (1.8L). On a recent trip to Osaka, however, I was able to find small single serving bottles for Black Dragon. Black Dragon should be stored and consumed cold. Once opened, the flavor profile degrades within 48 hours. It's clear, however has a very slight pine color. The nose also has a slight pine odor. I primarily detect a scent of Bosc pear, dried apples, and light butterscotch. On the plate it is semi-dry. Dark, semi-sweet cocoa and black liquorish flavors give way to and caramel undertones. There is an unexpected, and very slight, salt taste that can be felt on the tip of the tongue. Black Dragon has a strong, but clean finish. Cedar and pine wood elements remain. Kokuryu (Black Dragon) is produced by the Kokuryu Shuzo in Fukui Prefecture. Kokuryu expresses terrior. This is a great Fall/Winter sake. I had this sake with moderately spicy beef kuree (Japanese curry) with fukujin-zuke (pickles). The kuree was fantastic, but I will admit, this was not a good pairing. I actually recommend Black Dragon with something slightly sweeter. It would go extremely well with sukiyaki or gindara-no-kasuzuke (codfish marinated in what I would call sake lees). The Dragon would also go well with anything marinated in teriyaki. Smoked salmon with a brown sugar based brine (honey smoked). Filet mignon, cooked rare, with a light cream morel sauce. Beef carapaccio. A dense, dark semi-sweet, chocolate torte. Enjoy Kokuryu (Black Dragon) with something with texture, that is mouth watering, and slightly sweet. I recommend kicking back and enjoying Kokuryu while watching Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai." (aside: look for the village scene with the unfiltered sake) Reg

Well done sir! That was a lot of fun and really touched on some of the points that make this sake one of the best in the biz. I found this brew in Japan and would make it one of my "three suitcase sakes" that I would bring back after each trip. And yes I was pretty stoked to find out that Chris Pearce from World Sake Imports took this brewery under his wing, which is good for you because Chris has always priced sake very fairly.

I will add my review below, but will also mention that this kura (brewery) also makes an outstanding Ginjo that is worth a try as well!

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Kokuryu "Black Dragon" From Fukui Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4 A tantalizing nose filled with hints of roasted coffee, mint, salt water taffy, tropical flowers, grapes and honey. This extremely well balanced sake achieves the near impossible of being both expansive in character and clean in feeling. There are hints of fruits, minerals, and caramel but also peek-a-boo layers of grains and umami. Almost sweet and savory at once with a dry quick finish. WORD: Big Clean WINE: Merlot/Pinot Noir/White Burgundy BEER: Blond Ales/Hefferviesens FOODS: Anything Grilled! $30/720ml

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I am on a spiritual sake quest that will finally put a nail in the coffin of "sake can only be consumed at a sushi restaurant" mantra. Wake up people! Food and sake go together - always have and always will. If it has a tail, roots, feathers, leaves or a damn beak sake will go with it - anytime and any place. And that is my quest - the place or origin of the cuisine does not matter. It can be Spanish, Italian, Brazilian or ughhhh British chow and sake will walk the walk. Japan has chickens! Japan has salad! Japan has beef! Japan has spicy and savory dishes! Japan has sweet and salty fare, so why not think about having sake with these "tones" from other countries? The Sake Challenge is my way for you great consumers to see outside of the sushi paradigm, and to achieve this "new view on brew" I will usually select two different sake styles and price-points and bring them to a non-Japanese restaurant with a celebrity, sake-sleuth or hell even a friend in tow. Please see the August '07 Newsletter for Sake Vs. New Orleans fare - yes Cajun flavors galore - or Sake vs. Italian Jan '08 Newsletter.

This month's Sake Challenge pits two brews - Wakatake Onikoroshi Junmai Genshu and Umenishiki Junmai Ginjo Genshu - against Essencia "Organic Peruvian Restaurant".

My fellow guinea pig ripe for the slaughter is none other than Kazu Yamazaki (YM) from Japan Prestige Sake International (please see the 5 for 5 interview above) who imports more sake into the US than any other concern. Of course I brought two of Kazu's sakes!

The format is that we selected a balanced offering off of the menu with recommendations from the server to achieve the true Peruvian experience, and paired each dish to both sakes. For the perfectionists out there we started both sakes off at fridge temperature and left the bottles on the table with no ice. By the final pairings the temperature of the sakes was closer to room temperature. I selected these two brews to represent a fruity brew (Umenishiki) and a dry brew (Wakatake) and made them both "Genshu" because I predicated lots of spice and thought that undiluted sakes would do better with these larger flavors. I also took price into consideration and selected two sakes under $30.

Sake vs. Peruvian Cuisine (Essencia)

Before I go into the course by course blow by blow I wanted to read to you a portion of their menu to help you scratch your head and say "wow - sounds like sake would really go with that!" (Our food bears the influence and ingredients of many immigrants, among them Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Creole, coupled with indigenous flavors such as cilantro, lime, corn, potatoes, pulses, grains, and the heat of the capsicum fruit known as aji. We offer various naturally raised roasted meats, fish, and fowl with unparalleled organic local ingredients from the Bay Area.)

1ST COURSE: CEVICHE - KAMPACHI AND SEA BASS

Kampachi Ceviche - sliced tiradito style with creamy aji Amarillo- lime drizzle.

Umenishiki - The high acidity of the Ginjo strikes up bright tones with the lime and citrus elements of the fish. There is a snappy collaborative of flavors in the sake and the spicy yellow sauce, which the Ginjo manages to capture and enhance. Bright and fresh.

Wakatake - The dryer Junmai brings out a creamy element of the sauce and the fish rounds out a little. The creaminess is pervasive but the heat of the spices overwhelms the Junmai. Very drinkable as a pairing but the nudge goes to the Umenshiki!

BT: Umenishiki for a B
KY: Umenishiki for a B+

Sea Bass Ceviche - with lime, orange poached camote, avocado and big corn.

Umenishiki - With the soft lime tones this pairing is superb. The Ginjo cuts the acidity of the fruit and makes the citrus go even not jumpy. The sweetness of the sake comes forth in a round a soft delivery and the freshness of the fish comes out in gentle and lively way. Excellent acidity play!

Wakatake - The dry Junmai goes very neutral with this dish. No enhancing and no subtracting of flavors. The acidity of the sauce brings forth a sweetness in the finish of the sake. The balance is there, the covering of spice is there, and the cleanliness of the brew is present all the way through the pairing, but again for the Ceviche dishes the Umenishiki really pops with the acidity and the fruit elements make for a more drinkable pairing.

BT: Umenishiki for an A
KY: Umenishiki for an A

2ND COURSE: OCTOPUS SALAD

Octopus Salad - plancha flashed with celery hearts and botija olive aioli

Umenishiki - The high acidity of the Ginjo and the higher alcohol umph makes this pairing more festive and lively. The brightness carries over from the octopus to the veggies and really enhances the "field" flavors of the celery. This brew really goes well with the briny yet sweet elements of the octopus.

Wakatake - The creaminess of the aioli is enhanced by the creamier Junmai. Overall this brew takes the flavor and feel of this pairing to a neutral and smooth level - goes soft and flat but never losses the balance. A good compliment on feel and texture of the sauce and octopus, and I would say that between the two the Umenishiki went better with the octopus and the Wakatake went better with the aioli.

BT: Wakatake for a B-
KY: Umenishiki for a B

3RD COURSE: ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Artichoke Heart Salad - with quinoa, frisee and black mint sauce.

Umenishiki - The strong yet elusive flavor of the hearts stripped the sweetness out of the fruity Ginjo and left a little balance issue. However for a specific flavor - a mining of sorts - the Ginjo did do very well with the black mint sauce as the fruit met the tingle and the 3rd flavor became a rich and semi-sweet affair.

Wakatake - Wow! Stop the old "what wine goes with artichokes?" age- old search! What a slam dunk full court press pairing. This melding of soft textures and complex flavors dances perfectly. Very round, very creamy, and extremely smooth the fluid becomes demon called an artichoke. Liquid artichoke I don't know, but the smokiness and subtle richness of the hearts melts like butter in the clean, round and confident Junmai. The perfect "up yours grape juice" pairing! Superb! The search is over! No grape can do justice to the power of this starch to artichoke pairing. As if that were not enough - the "quinoa" which is quite similar to cous cous makes the Wakatake go heavenly as the smoothness and extremely solid build of the brew brings forth a round and "starchy" evenness to the pairing.

BT: Wakatake for an A+
KY: Wakatake for an A+

4TH COURSE - AJI DE GALLINA "PULLED CHICKEN"

Aji de Gallina - pulled chicken in pecan sauce with brown rice

Umenishiki - The fruit immediately pulls a sweetness when rowing with the saltiness of the chicken. There is an ever-present nuttiness that is rich and large in flavor but not acidity. A gentle spiciness in the dish makes the fruitiness of the brew remain. The rice and pecan elements both go on the sweet side with the Ginjo.

Wakatake - Bingo! The full-bodied flavor of the sake goes extremely well with the full-bodied flavors of the dish. Power meets power in a smooth and even pairing. Rich and smooth the brew makes the dish work! By going dry the Junmai makes the hidden spice of the pulled chicken come center stage and the sweetness of the pecan sauce is then made evident. The best part of the pairing is the feeling factor as the brew makes the chicken and pecan sauce go soft and deep. Just a great fit pairing!

BT: Wakatake for an A
KY: Wakatake for an A-

5TH COURSE - PORK LOIN

Pork Loin - with canario bean and Tacu Tacu, bacon and quail egg.

Umenishiki - The spice of this version of pork loin is calmed or blended by the fruitiness of the Ginjo. It plays even with the pork, but does not excel. A good flavor companion that stays original in taste from beginning to end. However the Ginjo does quite nice with the rice and bacon and pulls out a spicy and smokey 3rd flavor that is quite tasty.

Wakatake - The Junmai brings out the richness of the dish and does very well with saltiness of the pork. The smokiness or woody flavor of the pork stays even and round with the sake. A solid pairing that makes flavor and feeling work in harmony. Interestingly the bacon and rice elements become a bit choppy with the Junmai.

BT: Wakatake for a B
KY: Wakatake for a B-

SUMMARY:

Overall this Japanese Peruvian melding of flavors, textures, and essences was a tremendous success. It would be a challenge to find one wine to make all these dishes work, and yet on the whole we found two brews that worked well on so many different levels. The base element of spice was not that much of a hurdle for sake to jump. The spice was both mellowed and enhanced on several fronts, but what was exceptional was the fact that the sakes worked rather than conflicted with the entire dinning experience. Richness - brightness - heat - there were so many dexterities going on and yet sake held its own and in more cases than not made the dish better. And the pure bonus was finding the perfect "wine" to go with artichokes - who would have thunk it? I am extremely proud of how sake met this match, and Kazu was blown away by the experience. He thanked me profusely for even "thinking up the idea of having sake and Peruvian food," but I had to remind him that there is another Peruvian restaurant in SF that has sake on their wine menu. Sake wins again! When you think Peruvian think sake!

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Whoop De Do For My Subaru! Yes, it is THAT time of year when we receive the freshest and "nama-est" brews outside of Japan. All brewed and bottled in December we are currently offering 5 Nama-sakes from Japan Prestige Sake International. This season's first flight is filled with some of the usual suspects with the addition of a new snow cat! For the first time in this series of releases we will offer a Nama Genshu Nigori from Ichinokura that will join our year-round offering from Kamoizumi.

In a word, if you are looking for a very "Ginjo" Nama experience with good fruit and great balance by all means slip into the Harushika Nama Junmai Ginjo. For those who seek outstanding smoothness and layers of flavors - a spelunkers dream come true - set your sights on the Koshino Homare Nama Genshu. If you want some fire in your belly with a very large Nama that walks-the-walk then re-visit the "Big Devil" known as "Oh Oni" from Shutendouji. Likewise if you want some sweetness in a large brew that is crafted using a peach yeast then look for the Kamikokoro. And last but not least we have a very raw and vivid Nama Genshu Nigori from Ichinokura that will open some "cloudy" eyes.

Lastly, and if you will recall there was a very large earthquake in Niigata prefecture last year. (please see the August 2007 Newsletter in the archives) There was a lot of damage to many of the sake breweries there, but one took it on the chin far worse than the others. Koshino Homare was really affected by the quake and subsequently lost several structures to the resulting fires. At the time I offered to buy and sell whatever we could from this kura to help them out. For several reasons we couldn't get a hold of their damaged inventory to get some needed money back to them, but alas you can now do your part. The "Shiboritate" or freshly pressed sake from Koshino Homare is this brewery's first new efforts available to the states since the earthquake and fire. Now I am not just saying this BUT this Nama Junmai tastes outstanding and is by far my favorite sake of the this Nama flight! (Yes, I am on record as picking a favorite! This is a True Sake first!)

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Harushika "Shiboribana" From Nara Prefecture. Nama Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.4 The nose on this raw Spring-release unpasteurized brew is filled with strawberry, blueberry, and green leaf elements. Clean, crisp, and smooth this Ginjo drinks ripe and tight! There are many layers of fruit tones such as grapes, berries and crisp apple but the over-all drinking experience is semi-dry. A smooth and elegant sake that speaks to Ginjo lovers. Think fresh finesse and enjoy out of a larger glass. WORD: Crisp WINE: Snappy reds/ Sharp whites BEER: Crisp ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled fish, fruit salads. $28/720ml

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Koshino Homare "Shiboritate" From Niigata Prefecture. Junmai Nama Genshu. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.7 This undiluted (18%) unpasteurized limited Spring-release brew has a milky nose filled with vanilla, dairy and cooked veggie elements. Talk about a smooth, layered and yummy drinking experience! This velvety Junmai has soft powder sugar elements that drink more rich than sweet - think sweet rice - and there is abundance of complexities buried within the professionally smooth fluid. Round, deep and soft like a favorite pillow! If you enjoy a balance between great flavor and great feeling this nama is for you. WORD: Smooth WINE: Pinot Noir/Chardonnay BEER: Creamy ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, shellfish, grilled chicken, clean pasta. $24/720ml

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Shutendouji Oh-Oni "Big Devil" From Kyoto Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu. SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.7 A lively aroma profile with hints of steamed rice, balsa wood, green leaves and yeast. This unpasteurized and undiluted (18%) "Devil" is fat, full, deep and naughty! A very full-bodied drinking experience that is chewy and gooey with lots of flavor up front with a semi-dry finish. It drinks very frisky and has hidden dried fruit elements that dance on the high acidity. There is a very solid richness that expresses itself in middle mouth. Look hard enough and you will discover a gentle green apple tartness. WORD: Fat WINE: Huge reds/Complex whites BEER: Stouts FOODS: A great food warrior, will take on anything with legs, beaks, and scales! $31/720

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Kamikokoro "Tokagen" From Okayama Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu. SMV: -11 Acidity: 1.4 This unpasteurized and undiluted sake is made with a peach yeast, which gives off unique aroma components including marigold, green leaves, and powerbar-like fruity grains. Fat, gooey, thick, smooth and heavy all describe the feeling of this expressive nama that has a gentle sweetness with ripe fruit elements. Full-bodied and round there is a genuine richness throughout the velvety flow. This is a great filtered sake that Nigori drinkers would enjoy. The low acidity makes this brew fat, round and happy. WORD: Thick WINE: Pinot Noir/Chardonnay BEER: Belgian Ales FOODS: Cuisine with sweetness. $28/720ml

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Ichinokura "Nigori" From Miyagi Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Nigori Genshu. SMV: -1 Acidity: 1.8 The nose on this undiluted/unpasteurized/unfiltered brew is creamy personified with hints of citrus and yeasty elements. This very raw Nigori drinks wicked and wild with snappy flavors and a robust acidity brings forth creamy tones with a tang of lemon. Deep rawness allows one to explore the crispness and sharp tones found in very young sake. This is not your grandmother's Nigori. Think naked, raw, and living! WORD: Snappy WINE: Cocktails BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: Skip dinner - meal in a glass! $26/720ml

You can review many of our sakes on our web site:
www.truesake.com/sakes.php

Our inventory list is here.

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Blake Gray takes a look at Yamahai-style sakes. I went to Blake's house to pour him 7 different Yamahais that we carry at the store. It was a good tasting and we saw a lot of "themes" that carried through each of the brews. I was hoping that Blake would use my quote about the nickname that I give to Yamahai and Kimoto sakes - the "Why" sakes! I call them this because basically they are made in a manner that beckons the question Why? Why go through all of the effort (making this style of sake is quite time consuming and cumbersome and quite frankly difficult!) So why? Why do they do it? Because the brewers want you to taste the reason for their efforts!

Yamahai warriors
Intense, funky and rich - traditional style of sake appeals to Americans

PS. Many folks believe that brewers only use airborne yeasts to make Yamahai sake. This is not the case. They definitely use their more potent forms of brewing yeast as well!

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We live in a free country! We practice the ideals of a free market economy! And yet, interstate shipping of alcoholic beverages is not free - at all! I will not go into great detail as to why we cannot ship sake to many of you wonderful sake drinkers. In a perfect world - well actually in a normal world - we would be free to ship to you wherever you reside in our great country, but as is there are bucket loads of states that are playing games to protect special interests. That's it in a nutshell - they are protecting special interests. And those special interests are either state-run liquor stores or local distributors who do not want "foreign" competition.

For more on what to do within your state to expose and try to oust these special interest groups who are all acting unconstitutionally at the very least I will herewith provide some very important links to some very active organizations of people who are looking out after your best interests. Then do something about it! Send letters - send emails - send scorn to the powers that be, especially you folks in Texas and Illinois who just recently lost your rights to purchasing wine and sake from a retail stores outside of your state. Get pissed - we are!

True Sake has engaged a team of compliance officials to create an airtight interstate shipping plan that is both legal and demanding of change. Please be patient with us as we try to expedite this tedious and timely - read bureaucratic - process. Our goal is to offer sake to those legal states by April.

Please visit and support the following web sites:

www.wineinstitute.org
www.specialtywineretailers.org/blog/
www.freethegrapes.org
shipcompliantblog.com/blog/

And lastly, if any of you good readers have any other sources of information or have opinions of your own please send them to us at info @ truesake.com - we are all ears!

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MARCH 25th - Back By Popular Demand - Koshu Night

"The night of the aged sakes!"

• Tuesday March 25th 6-8PM at Sozai Restaurant
  
  
• So you think that you know sake? Well let's talk about the entire dark side of the sake planet that you have not seen! The sun rarely shines on aged or "Koshu" sake and this tasting is an outstanding exploration of brews that have so much attitude and depth that one would think that you were drinking sake from a different solar system. Deep and rich flavors meet amber and golden colors for a sake pairing that speaks to those who know their brews.
  
  
• 6 different Koshu Sakes will be paired with 6 small dishes "kozara-ryouri" Japanese tapas dishes.
  
  
• This is a sit-down pairing/exploration with plenty of information and instruction and seating is extremely limited. Only 25 seats are available.
  
  
• If you continue to eat and drink at Sozai after the event you will receive a 10% discount on what you order that evening.
  
  
• $60/taster and you must phone True Sake 415.355.9555 to reserve your seat. Parties of 4 and less are welcome and there will be no walk-ins - tickets must be reserved. All True Sake events sell out so please reserve today!
  
  
• This tasting is recommended for the sake explorers amongst us!

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This month's "Ask Beau" comes from a little bird that inquired about my way of communicating sake at True Sake. This little bird asked

"Your reviews are so in-depth and must take a lot of time, why do you make the effort and are you getting tired of such a system?"

Firstly the answer is no! I do not get tired of things that excite and challenge me (and trust my when I say that writing reviews is both exciting and challenging). I could easily make a review that states one or two words like "Light and Dry" or "Rich and Full-Bodied." But this just doesn't help sake drinkers at this point in time. And truthfully my goal is to get people into a bottle of sake for the sole purpose of letting the sake do the talking. It sells itself, but customers need a little nudge in one direction or another. One or two words is not an ample nudge. That is why I take so much time and effort to really taste each sake - to understand it fully - to be able to describe it with and accuracy that takes away any guesswork. This process is indeed time consuming and requires a lot more attention. Hopefully form my customers' point of view it is worth it.

Secondly, I now have great help at the store in the form of Miwa and Lynette, and they know their brews! So starting this month we are having "Miwa and Lynette's Selects" which will take the form of a sake per month that they both select, review and champion. These sakes will be brews that are not part of our current inventory, so it will be up to them to get you the customer into a bottle! I will mention this more in a new section of the Newsletter next month.

Please send your sake specific questions to askbeau2 @ truesake.com. (This address is not for general questions and I only review the questions once per month. All other correspondence should use info @ truesake.com.)

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Ah, at last we have reached the end of this Newsletter and that of course means that we have come to the now-famous SECRET WORD. To those who are new the SECRET WORD is a chance for you to try a sake of note for half of that sake's original price. Just for reading this Newsletter. It is our way of saying thank you for trying to understand the wonders of sake. And in this regard we typically select a sake with a story, and this month's story is the relationship between sake and temples in Japan. Made in an ancient temple in Wakayama Prefecture Isenryuusui Junmai Ginjo from Heiwa Shuzo is a great brew made with superb water. In fact the name of this brew is "Running Springs."

Please remember the rules: only one bottle per reader, and don't tell your buddy at the moment if he/she isn't a Newsletter subscriber, always use a hushed or secret agent voice when saying the SECRET WORD, and lastly for those who have their sakes shipped we can only include the SECRET WORD sake in a four-pack purchase - meaning you must buy three other sakes. (THIS IS FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ONLY - Please refer to the Sake Bummer section above)

This month's brew is the brother to Manyou no Koubai Ginjo, and if you like it we will carry it! So please send an email to info @ truesake.com stating in the subject line that it is a "Keeper" or "Not." It usually would sell for $28 but for you sake jockeys we will sell it for $14. And the SECRET WORD is...check your email inbox - We only give out the SECRET WORD in the mailed Newsletter! So sign up for the Newsletter!

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Thank you for reading!

True Sake

TRUE SAKE: America's First Sake Store.