New Store Arrivals: Nagurayama, Date 7, Okunomatsu, and Keigetsu

Nagurayama "Aizu Shikon"
From Fukushima Prefecture. Tokubetsu Junmai Muroka Genshu. SMV: -2
Acidity: 1.2
The nose on this inspired brew has a cool collection of peach, honey
comb, melon, pear, nectarine, rock sugar, and clove aromas. Nagurayama Shuzo calls this Junmai "robust, bold, and inspired," and what's so unique is that this drinks buoyant, light, and bright for so much feeling and flavor. How do they do that? Fresh, clean, and crisp with a little spritz, this brew is plump and juicy, but also silky and round. Semi-sweet, but more bright with a quick umami finish, this brew is loaded with amazing flavors including apricot, nectarine, strawberry, tangerine, peach, honey tea, nougat, brown sugar, sweet rice, and King's Hawaiian™ sweet rolls. This brew is a great example of sake brewing technique that takes a big Junmai and brightens it up for a modern drinking experience. WORD: Inspired WINE: Zesty Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Fruity Ales FOODS: Nabe, hot pots, rich western cuisine, rich sashimi, and yakitori.

Date Seven Episode 3 "Suminoe Style"
From Miyagi Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: N/A Acidity: N/A
The nose on this project sake from seven breweries in Miyagi is a gentle collection of young strawberry, pear, rum raisin, mochi, celery, sesame, and ocean water aromas. All seven breweries (listed on the bottle) handle a different brewing step, but the lead brewery for this season's episode is Suminoe Shuzo. Light, tight, dry, crisp with a little tingle and friskiness, this smooth and clean brew has a tannin-like dryness and a very quick finish. Look for crisp apple, Asian pear, persimmon, kumquat, young melon, celery, and snow melt flavors on a very concise fluid that is like dry water. Made with Yamadanishiki milled to 45%, this collaboration is liquid fun in a cool bottle. Dry sake fans will rejoice. WORD: Dry WINE: Dry Reds/Mineral Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled chicken and fish, caviar, nabe, and oysters.

Okunomatsu "Ihei"
From Fukushima Prefecture. Daiginjo Shizuku. SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.3
The nose on this "gravity drip" sake is a gentle collection of cherry, strawberry, pear, pineapple, vanilla, and cooked rice aromas. Big and elegant, this Shizuku sake is robust and punchy with an 18% ABV that drinks with appealing lushness. Crisp, velvety, slippery, and full-bodied for a Daiginjo, this brew is pure impact. Look for pear, melon, juicy papaya, pineapple, sugar apple, and rock sugar flavors that are ushered along with a hot push. Have this chilled in a bigger wine glass.  WORD: Shizuku WINE: Robust Reds/Beefy Whites BEER: Fat Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, lobster, crab, shrimp, steaks, and oysters.

Keigetsu 50 "CEL-24"
From Kochi Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -2 Acidity: 1.5
The nose on this educational brew is an amazing collection of green
apple, honeydew, pear, white grape, cotton candy, peach, and mint aromas. 
This really is the epitome of "Ginjo-Ka," which is the very fragrant term for aromatic sake. Why educational? Well, it's a very good representation sake of the brewing yeast called CEL-24 that was discovered in a prefecture that was known for making dry, quaffable sake. So yes, this yeast actually makes semi-sweet sake that is loaded with apple, melon, finger lime, ripe pear, plum, cotton candy, rock sugar, and lemon flavors that dance on a clean, crisp, silky, bright, tingly, and juicy flow. Medium-bodied with a dash of astringency (shibumi), not only is this prototypical "Ginjo-Ka", this also happens to be an excellent representative of the Junmai Daiginjo category. WORD: CEL-24 WINE: Fruity Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Clean Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, cheese and fruit plates, light fare, shellfish, grilled chicken and fish, gentle pastas, citrus based dishes.

Keigetsu 50 "Nigori"
From Kochi Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo Nigori. SMV: -4 Acidity: 1.4
The nose on this globally popular "unfiltered" (a misnomer) sake is a gentle collection of melon, apple, lime, dairy, coconut water, Sprite™, cotton, and steamed rice aromas. First of all, there are not a lot of Junmai Daiginjo Nigori sakes out on the market, so this brew is an extraordinary starting point in the premium Nigori sake category. Soft, round, silky, semi-spritzy, and medium-bodied, this cloudy sake drinks with a little tannin-like dryness. Look for grape, orange, pineapple, cream, melon, flour, nutmeg, and lime flavors with a nice mineral and umami finish. Elegant and very balanced coarsely filtered sake that is layered, rich-light™, very drinkable, and not just a bum rush of sweetness. WORD: Elegant WINE: Fruity Reds/Sweet Whites BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: International spice, fried chicken, street fare, beach tacos, cheese and fruit boards.