Tamanohikari Junmai Ginjo "Tama the Cat"

The nose on this very famous Fushimi (Kyoto) brewery’s sake is a vivid collection of pomelo, lemon curd, steamed rice, green apple, lemon peel, and melon aromas. Wait a second! What’s a brewery that dates back to 1673 doing making a sake with wine yeast? It’s the same brewery that made Omachi rice (found in this Junmai Ginjo) famous in Fushimi, Kyoto. Basically, this is an artisanal effort by Tamanohikari to appeal to a new wave of wine drinkers who enjoy sake, by making a sake that drinks very wine-like. With the lowest SMV for an Omachi-sake in the store, and boosted by a very ripping 2.8 acidity, this is a classic sweet-and-sour play brew that is delicious and very exciting. Look for lemon, pomelo, lemon tart, tangerine candy, and cantaloupe flavors that are elegant, juicy, and bright. A very intelligent and “built” sake that of course appeals to wine lovers, but also sake lovers too. WORD: Wine-Like WINE: Chardonnay BEER: Citrus Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, international spice, citrus and sweet vinegar-based dishes, oysters with lemon, salads, fruit plates, cheese plates, dim sum, and fresh sweet shrimp.