Our Sake Line-up

* Featured sakes.  Please contact us for a complete list of our selection 

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Niigata Sake


Hyogo Sake

Other Regions



Niigata is often referred to as “Snow Country”. Its clean, plentiful water is one key to the purity and flavor of its sake. 
 
Niigata is the leader in super premium sake, accounting for 18% market of the market.  It is the third largest sake producing region after Hyogo (Kobe area) and Kyoto.  The majority of sake producers in Niigata are small-scale family-owned producers with strong focus on quality.

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Kirin-zan Jumai Daiginjo

Koshino Omachi

Ten To Chi "Heaven & Earth”

Kaku-Rei

Kiminoi “Emperor’s Well”

Kirin-zan Junmai Ginjo

Matsunoi

Midori Kawa

Yukikage “Snow Shadow”

Daku

Koshi No Sasameyuki

Koshi no Tohsetsuka

Manotsuru

Karen "Coy"

Hakuryu Ume-shu

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Kirin-zan
Junmai Daiginjo – Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 45 %

• Alcohol 15-16% by volume

• Serve chilled (50-59°F or 10-15°C)

• Tasting notes: Elegant, refined, citrusy on the palate.  Reminiscent of a clean mountain stream

• Food pairing: White fish and shellfish – raw, steamed or grilled. Chicken - roasted or grilled
  

Kirinzan Shuzo is located near Mt. Kirin (= Kirin-zan) in Tsugawa where beautiful rivers run through. Kirin, a mythical creature much like a flying unicorn, is believed to bring about happiness. The producer won gold medals at Japan National Sake Competition in 2012, 2009, 2008, 2007, etc.

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Koshino Omachi
Daiginjo – Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 40 %
• Alcohol 16-17% by volume
• Serving temp: Remove from refrigerator 30 minute before drinking.
• Tasting note: Mild and rounded taste with fresh Ginjo flavor
• "Omachi" rice, one of the best sake rices and the hardest to grow, is cultivated by contract growers in the region only to produce this grade and polished to 40%
  

Minogawa has won Gold Awards at the Japan National Sake Competition in 2009, 2006, 2005, etc. and the US National Sake Appraisal (Joy of Sake) in 2006.

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Ten To Chi “Heaven & Earth”Junmai Daiginyo - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 50 %
• Alcohol 15.5%
• Serve chilled or at room temperature
• Tasting note: Dry, mild, clean, medium bodied, and lightly aromatic
• Food paring: Tuna and salmon sashimi, roasted duck or chicken, prosciutto

Niigata Agricultural Institute, Niigata Sake Institute, and the consortium of Niigata sake breweries spent 15 years to launch a new sake rice variety, called Koshi Tanrei. The rice is grown only in Niigata, only for Niigata sake producers. Ten To Chi “Heaven and Earth” is one of the first Koshi Tanrei-based sakes that have been made commercially available in Japan. Launched in US in 2011.

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Kaku-Rei
Junmai Ginjo - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 55%
• Alcohol 15-16% by volume
• Chilled or slightly warm
• Tasting note: Slightly aromatic, lightly floral, hints of banana & pear. Soft clean finish
• Food pairing: Grilled fish and vegetables. Steamed oysters. Vegetable tempura with salt

Aoki Shuzo, the producer, is located in the Minami-Uonuma district, which is well know as the best appellation for the cultivation of the most popular table rice Koshi Hikari.  Aoki has awarded gold medals at the Japan National Sake Competition for three years in a row, in 2009, 2010 & 2011.

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Kiminoi “Emperor’s Well”
Junmai Ginjo, Yamahai - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 58 %.
• Alcohol 15-16 % by volume
• Serve chilled (53-59°F/12-15°C), or warmed (113-122°F/ 45-50°C)
• Tasting note: Rich aromas, complex flavors, and elegant clean finish
• Food pairing: Full flavored or rich dishes. Tempura. Grilled seafood with rich sauce

Kiminoi is produced by a traditional time-consuming method for preparing yeast starter called “Yamahai”, which gives elusive “Umami” or richness and fullness of the flavor.  This yamahai sake won a gold medal at “Joy of Sake” (the US National Sake Appraisal) in 2006.
Kiminoi has won gold awards at Japan National Sake Competition in 2008, 07, 06, 04, 03, etc.

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Kirin-zan
Jumai Ginjo - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 55 %
• Alcohol 15-16% by volume
• Serve chilled, at room temperature or luke-warm
• Tasting notes: Mild, soft, medium dry. Moderate aromas of fruits and savory flavors with hints of rice and nuts are well balanced.
• Food pairing: Braised pork belly (buta no kakuni), broiled eel (unagi no kabayaki), etc

Kirinzan Shuzo is located near Mt. Kirin (= Kirin-zan) in Tsugawa where beautiful rivers run through.  Kirin, a mythical creature much like a flying unicorn, is believed to bring about happiness.

The producer won gold medals at Japan National Sake Competition in 2012, 2009, 2008, 2007, etc.

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Matsunoi “Wishing Well”
Tokubetsu Honjozo - Niigata, Japan

• Rice polished to 58%.
• Alcohol 15-16% by volume
• Chilled, room temperature, or warmed
• Tasting note: Aromas of peach, almond, and hazelnut. Crisp, nutty and dry 
• Food Pairing: Blackened ahi tuna with mustard sauce, grilled mushroom, Japanese soba noodle

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Midori Kawa
Junmai - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 60 %
• Alcohol 15-16%
• Serve chilled or luke-warm
• Tasting note: Clean, smooth, and gracious. Mild and refreshing acidity.  Subtle nose of melon and ginger. All of the elements are well-balanced.
• Midorikawa Shuzo is a top flight producer of clean, pristine, connoisseur sake with special focus on on quality and purity of flavor.  Very defined and precise. 

Midorikawa Shuzo won a gold medal at Japan National Sake Competition in 2008

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Yukikage “Snow Shadow”
Tokubetsu Junmai - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 58%.
• Alcohol 14-15% by volume
• Slightly chilled, room temperature, or lukewarm
• Tasting note: Aroma shows green apple and apple marzipan. Soft, light bodied and long finish
• Food pairing: Sushi and sashimi, Grilled salmon, Roasted yellowtail, Seafood pot sticker (gyoza)

This is a feminine sake if sake has a gender.  It has soft, light and elegant taste with aroma of apple marzipan and green apple, thanks to a special yeast called S-3. Noboru Abe, one of the
most critically acclaimed brew masters, has been making sake at Kinshihai Shuzo since 1959.

Kinshihai Shuzo has won gold medals at the Japan national sake competition in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001, etc. Yukikage “Snow Shadow” won the gold award at US National Sake Appraisal “Joy of Sake” in 2006.

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Daku
Nigori (cloudy sake), Junmai - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 70 %
• Alcohol 15-16% in volume
• Serve chilled. Shake the bottle before opening it
• Tasting note: Tropical nose of fruits. Mild and creamy
• Food pairing: Spicy food, teriyaki, steamboats (nabe, jjigae, hot pots)
• Shelf life: 12 months or more in a refrigerator.  6 months in a closed room at temperature of 55 deg F or lower. 3 months in a store at 55 deg F

Musashino won the highest position in the Niigata competition among the region's more than 80 producers in 2005.

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Koshi no Sasameyuki
Jumai - Niigata, Japan

• Sweet/Dry: +3
• Light/Rich: -2
• Taste summary: medium dry and light
• Profile and tasting notes: Delicately mild, rice-forward, smooth finish
• Best served: chilled
• Koshi No Sasameyuki is a 100% pure rice sake with a superlative mellow taste brewed from a mixture of Ippon-Jime and Gohyaku-Mangoku rice produced in Echigo. It has an enticing aroma and a delicate flavor.

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Koshi no Tohsetsuka
Junmai Ginjo - Niigata, Japan

• Sweet/Dry: > +5
• Light/Rich: -3
• Taste summary: super dry and light
• Profile and tasting notes: Very delicate balance of fruit overtones and rice undertones, slightly sweet upfront, extremely dry finish.
• Best served chilled

Koshi No Tosetsuka is an excellent ginjyoshu produced by the Echigo clan of brewers. Highly polished native rice from the Echigo fields are blended and stored with high grade water in snow covered sake vats.

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Manotsuru “Four Diamonds”
Junmai Ginjo - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 55 %
• Alcohol: 17-18%
• Junmai Ginjo, Muroka, Gen-shu (un-diluted)
• Serving temperature: chilled
• Tasting note: Tropical nose of banana and plum juice, very fine, quite pure.
• Food rairing: Food and dishes with vinegar/vinaigrette. Slightly spicy food.

Obata Shuzo has won gold medals at the national sake competition for six years in a row. They also won the gold medal at the International Wine Challenge in London in 2007.

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Karen “Coy”
Junmai - Niigata, Japan

• Rice milled to 65%
• Alcohol 10-11%
• Suggested service: chilled
• Tasting note:  Aromas of lychee, apple, strawberry.  Complex, sweet with good acidity.
• Food pairing:  Aperitif.  Light seafood dishes.  Salad.  Ceviche. Moderately spicy dishes.

The Ichishima family has been involved in sake making for more than 200 years since the shogun era.  It's well known for its sake museum that is open to the public and its employment of female sake makers.

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Hakuryu Ume-shu
Plum sake, Junmai - Niigata, Japan

• Junmai sake made with rice polished to 70%
• Alcohol 12-13% by volume
• Serving temperature: chilled.
• Tasting note: Mellow sweet flavor, well balance with mild acidity.  Clean finish.
• Food pairing: For aperitif or dessert

This premium ume-shu (plum sake) is made by soaking specially grown “Koshino Ume” plum in junmai sake for four months and adding fructose.