Summer Sake – A Few More Summer & Limited Releases & Dassai Yuzu New Store Arrivals – Brooklyn Kura, Tanzawasan, Koshinohomare, Mimurosugi, & Naraman

Brooklyn Kura "Catskills"
From New York. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -2 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this "locally" made brew is a cool collection of Asian pear, blackberry, oatmeal, apple, sourdough, snowmelt, and steamed rice aromas. Say hello to a craft sake that brings the best of American water and rice to your white wine glass. Made using brewing water from the Catskills, this is a solid Junmai Daiginjo that is round, slippery, medium-bodied, juicy, crisp-light, bright, with a little zest and long up-tick finish. Look for apple, ginger, finger lime, pear, peach, plum, croissant, oatmeal, fig, and steamed rice flavors that glide with an umami push that excels in a larger vessel. Some Daiginjos are pristine and dainty, and some drink like "Catskills," which is solid, full in flavor, and has some rice to it, making it a food pairing genius. WORD: Solid WINE: Deep Reds/Rich Whites BEER: Citrus Ales FOODS: Sushi, oysters, crab, smoked fish, grilled chicken, pork chops, steaks, salumi plates, turkey, grilled veggies, comfort foods, burgers, and pub fare.

Brooklyn Kura "Number Fourteen"
From New York. Junmai Ginjo Nama. SMV: ±0 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this Hallmark offering from the New York craft makers is a solid collection of steamed rice, grape, blueberry, burnt sugar, young plum, grains, Horchata, and sweet nori aromas. This now legendary Nama (unpasteurized) brew is an awesome delivery system for the American-grown CalRose rice variety milled to 50%. Clean, smooth, round, rich, medium-bodied, and with a spicy finish, this workhorse sake drinks with confidence and great flavors. Look for vanilla, Candy Corn, Crème Brûlée, Hawaiian sweet bread, and a little bright kiwi that lightens the mood. There is a slight nama-tingle that elevates the flavors and feelings as the excellent balance presents itself even more as the fluid warms in a white wine glass. This is awesome American-driven sake at its best! WORD: Solid WINE: Rich Reds/Bright Full Whites BEER: Rich Ales FOODS: American Sushi, sashimi, Izakaya/pub fare, Yakitori, shabu shabu, burgers, fried chicken, rich pastas, comfort foods, French fries, beach tacos, and food truck fare galore.

Tanzawasan "Rinho Cold Mountain"
From Kanagawa Prefecture. Aged Yamahai Junmai. SMV: 1.5 Acidity: 1.4
The nose on this instant classic sake is a fine collection of steamed rice, konbu, dashi, apple pie, graham cracker, oatmeal, grilled lemon, white miso, and a touch of white pepper aromas. We love sake with a mission, and we really love sake with extra flavor and delicious complexity. Sake is supposed to be a mystery in every sip! This Cold Mountain is a mystery shrouded in a veil of suspense with a dash of umami and culminates in a complex and supremely drinkable flow that is great chilled but also won medals for being room temp and heated! It was aged between 4 and 6 years and released when the Toji said "It tastes like the Rinho Taste." Does it drink like Koshu or room temp aged sake? No, because it's stored in cold temps and uses the "time-intensive Yamahai method." And it's made with our favorite Omachi rice varietal milled to 60%. "White Burgundy Inspired," it drinks layered, rich, full-bodied, ricey, and savory, but not like a heavy Koshu. Look for steamed rice, sourdough bread, white miso, rice cracker, grilled lemon, and forest floor flavors with a very complex layer of umami that expands as the glass warms. This is "old fashion" sake that is built to appeal to modern sake drinker sensibilities and is a food pairing beast! WORD: Beautiful Complexity WINE: Complex Reds/White Burgundy BEER: Full-Bodied Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled rosemary chicken, caprese salad, mushroom risotto, fettuccine alfredo, Yakitori, steaks and chops, and layered soups and stews.

Koshinohomare "Kura no Homare"
Niigata Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -2 Acidity: 1.8
The nose on this elegant and gently sweet Daiginjo is a vast collection of honey, apple, papaya, mango, sugar cane, lemon poppy seed, shortcake, sweet rice, and herbal aromas. Welcome home! This sake used to be only offered seasonally and now it's not! Lightly pasteurized, it drinks very much like an unpasteurized brew that is lively, juicy, medium to full-bodied, lush, and with a really cool "Vel-tingle" that is velvety and tingly possessing a gorgeous delicate fizziness. It's got weight but it's elevated and bright. Look for pear juice, apple pie, brown sugar, shiso, orange rind, mango, violet, berry, sweet grass, and honeydew flavors with a tantalizing umami vein and bright lively finish. Made with a Niigata rice varietal called Koshikagura milled to 50% and using Kyoukai 1801 special brewing yeast, this Daiginjo has an impact! The maker's style to blend umami with the gentle sweetness is not to be missed. WORD: Impact WINE: Fat Reds/Chewy Whites BEER: Fruity Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, tempura, crab, shrimp, pork cutlet, fried chicken, cream stew, beef pasta, gratin, steak, and comfort foods including fish tacos and burgers.  

Mimurosugi 35 "Dedicated to Takahashi Ikuhi no Mikoto"
Nara Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: N/A Acidity: N/A
The nose on this excellent sake offers a cool collection of Concord grape, candied kiwi, violets, honeydew melon, celery, nectarine, grapefruit peel, and snowmelt aromas. This is one of the coolest breweries in Japan (with a big cult following), producing a premium brew that is elegant, crisp, complex, light, gentle, slightly spritzy, and off-dry, with a quick finish but a long, lingering flavor. This is definitely a sushi-bar-counter sake, one that pairs beautifully with high-end cuisine and carries a refined vein of umami. Look for green apple, nectarine, pomegranate, yellow peach, apricot, grape candy, celery, daikon, and layers of mineral flavor that shine when served in a white wine glass, which highlights the astringency and integrated acidity. It looks and drinks cool, a great gifting brew for the choosy sake drinker. WORD: Elegant WINE: Dry Reds / Crisp Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, caviar, cured meats and game, grilled fish, yakitori, shabu shabu, steaks and chops, savory pasta, white fish carpaccio, sukiyaki, and raw oysters.

Naraman “Assemblage”
From Fukushima Prefecture. Aged Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.6
The nose on this masterpiece of aging and blending sake is a fantastic collection of almond, lemon tea, crushed leaves, soy sauce, sourdough bread, grains, miso, ocean mist, and white pepper aromas. This is more than a sake; it’s a story that is seven years of aging in the making. But it doesn’t drink like any old koshu (aged sake) as it was blended each year and stored at low temperatures to get that perfect balance of flavor and feeling! And Naraman knocked it out of the park. Smooth, slippery, layered, rich-light, velvety, off-sweet, solid, and so well balanced, this Assemblage drinks more like a premium Daiginjo than a heavy koshu sake. And talk about drinkable complexity! Look for honey roasted cashews, maple syrup, French toast, marshmallow, butter mushrooms, sweet miso, unagi sauce, toasted rice, and honeycomb with a healthy umami blast. It’s hard to say it out loud, but this is an “elegant flavor bomb.” There we said it! WORD: Assemblage WINE: Fat Pinot Noir/Round Rich Whites BEER: Creamy Belgians FOODS: Simply everything! The higher the price point of the cuisine, the better.