A sparkling sake crafted specifically to go well with Japanese cuisine—but don't let that stop you from having it even when you're not having Japanese; it would be your loss to do so! The second fermentation gives it fine, even bubbles that cannot be made with gas-injected sakes. The gentle whiff of rice is also inviting. This sake originally came out in 2011, but the toji at the time, Nakano, spent ten years before that to perfect it. The toji says: "We remuage (riddling—a champagne technique of turning of the bottle) and degorgement (getting rid of the sediments in the bottle) each bottle one by one by hand which take several months, so there was a limit of how much we could produce in a year. We have better facilities now which allows us to produce more, but since the aging process is so long, our products won't go on for sale for at least 2 years. We are still adjusting and improving; even this year, we've changed some things so I think the batch 2 years from now is looking really good.
ML.
750
VOL.
ALC.
12%
VOL.
Add Personalized Note for $1

Add Tote Bag for $10

ABOUT THIS BOTTLE

MASUMI SPARKLING

Outwardly, it looks just like sparkling wine, but what you get is far from grapes. It has a lovely umami presence followed by a savory depth midway, and finishes off a with lingering honey finish.

TASTING NOTES

 

Rice Polishing Ratio

This sake is made from Yamada-Nishiki rice that has been polished to 55%.


HOW TO ENJOY

PAIRING

Because it's umami heavy, it goes well with mid-course dishes, not just as an aperitif. Wonderful with washed-rind cheeses, risotto—especially complements lobster and truffle risottos, black cod with miso or bass.

SERVING

Best chilled, in a a champagne flute or tulip.

 

  

Masumi, a nationally admired sake brand, was founded in 1662 in Suwa, where a tradition of precise craftsmanship led the city to become the center of the silk industry. Still today, this attention to detail remains at the heart of the Masumi philosophy. In the 1920's, the brewery fell on hard times.The brewery's president, Masaru Miyasaka, appointed a young, 28-year-old sake prodigy named Chisato Kubota as toji. The two travelled up and down Japan, knocking on the door of the master and seeking knowledge.