Sake
has been enjoyed by the Japanese for at least 2,000 years. Farmers
often gathered together in the winter to brew small batches of rice wine
for the coming year. How appropriate to have this tasting to honour
the Winter Solstice!
Usually,
Stu conducts tours and sake tastings on site at the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company. Fortunately, he was open to making a home visit, and
brought along five different types of Izumi sake, so we could sample
the different styles
and deepen our appreciation. He was entertaining and at ease as he guided us through the different styles.
Our
small group listened to a quick overview before proceeding to the
tasting. Three basic ingredients are distilled to create sake: water;
rice; and koji. This basic trinity yields very different results,
depending on the characteristics
of each element, how it gets processed and then distilled.
Water.
Izumi uses Ontario spring water from Muskoka. In fact, ‘Izumi’ roughly
translates to ‘spring water’ in Japanese. The company first tried
using Lake Ontario water, but the owner was disappointed with the
results, and so
trucks in water from a pure source. When sake is called ‘junmai,’ it
means it is a pure rice wine, without additional alcohol or grain
spirits.
Rice. Good
quality grain is essential, but even more critical is the percentage
to which each grain is polished and the outer kernel removed. The lower the polishing ratio, the more
premium the sake. If sake is labelled ‘ginjo’ it must be polished at
least 60%.
There
are noticeable changes at this level; ginjo sake is usually lighter
and more aromatic. Daiginjo means a sake that has been polished to at
least 50%. Daiginjo literally means “big ginjo” and that’s a fair
description of their relationship:
they’re like ginjos, only more so.
Some
premium sake boast that as much as 85% of the outer kernel has
been polished away, leaving behind only 15% of the inner core. Too polished? Many in
the industry believe the industry is taking this to an unneeded extreme,
an utter waste of perfectly
good rice.
Koji. This is basically, rice
mould. Izumi gets theirs from Nagano, Japan, from a catalogue of
different structures dating back to at least 1662. Stu brought some for
us so we could see what it looked, smelled, and tasted
like (mushy stuff with a yeasty smell, very chewy and not unpleasant flavour).
The
first sake we tasted was Nama nama, a nama-zaki style, which means it has
not been pasteurized. This type is rarely exported from Japan, and
because it doesn’t have much of a shelf-life, it’s ideal to get from a
local brewer. Gauntner
and other connoisseurs often prefer pasteurized styles because they
believe the process “eliminates the veil-like set of characteristic
aromas and flavours“. Served chilled, this was delicious with
prosciutto and melon.
The
second sake was Nama cho, once-pasteurized. Most types of sake are
pasteurized twice – after pressing on its way to the maturation
tank, and once again post bottling. This one is pasteurized after bottling. We tried it both
warm and chilled, and
it seemed as though it became two entirely different beverages. I was
surprised by the way the aromas were neutralized when it was served
warm. Definitely delicious both warm and chilled, paired with sushi and
sashimi. In North
America from the 1940s—1980s, lesser quality sake was served warm to disguise its taste, and many people formed poor impressions as a
result.
Third tasting was Teion Sekura, with a
white-wine-like acidity. Stu called this the distillery’s “gateway saki”
that most generally appeals to North American palates. More koji,
pasteurized twice, and very similar to a Gewurtztrameiner. I served
this alongside a mild bleu cheese, aged cheddar, and a washed rind ewe.
The umami flavours paired really together surprisingly well.
Fourth up was Genshu, served
with slow-roasted pork belly and apple compote. By this time, many of
us were starting to get a bit of a sake-buzz, and the Genshu certainly
helped us along. This sake is undiluted, no water added,
17% alcohol content, stronger flavour and drier taste. The Izumi had
the strong aroma of pear and apple. If I had to pick a favourite of the
evening, this would definitely be on the shortlist.
Last but not least, a chilled Nigori
Junmai. There was a bit of sediment on the bottom, and when the bottle
was shaken, the liquid became a cloudy-white. This is a sweet sake, and
so I paired it with dessert offerings (a raspberry tart,
chocolate & goji berries, crystalized ginger, spiced nuts),
although it would also have been great served with something spicy.
The evening definitely expanded my
appreciation of sake. I can see incorporating it into my drinks and menu
pairing on a regular basis. Although I thought one style would emerge
as a strong favourite, each was pleasing and distinct from
the other. I like it! And it was great to share this special evening
with friends.
The
truth? It is all a matter of whether or not you like it. It is all
about preference; it is all hedonistic. Sure, there are greater and
lesser
levels of quality, but different sake suit different palates, and fit
different situations. So first and foremost, ask yourself if you like
it. This is deceivingly important, and just as deceivingly simple.
-
John Gauntner
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