SOTO Junmai Daiginjo

The nose on this very gentle Junmai Daiginjo is an enjoyable collection of mango, ripe peach, citrus, and a touch of coconut aromas. Pretty cool packaging for this very tasty sake that is smooth, round, soft, and very clean. User friendly is not a negative term as this brew appeals to a whole wide range of sake drinkers, because it’s – wait for it – very drinkable! Silky and mildly fruity with hints of pear and melon there is a touch of minerality that speaks to the Niigata snowmelt water. As clean as Soto is, it’s also very wide in flavor with a nice ricey long tail. A smaller cup brings forth more of the hidden sweetness, and a larger glass brings out the balance and softer feeling. WORD: Gentle WINE: Soft reds/Easy whites BEER: Clean ales.  FOODS: Gentle flavors, sushi, sashimi, steamed fish, tofu, clams.