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Varietal: Gohyakumangoku Rice
From Niigata, Fukushima, Toyama, and Ishikawa. Smooth and clean and dry and slightly fragrant. Representative Sake Brands: Shimeharitsuru and Kubota, or just about anything from Niigata.
Country: Japan
Japan is best known for producing sake rice wine which it has produced for centuries. However, recently Japan has received recognition for it's contribution in the areas of beer and whisky as well. But Sake remains the best known of Japanese wines. Although it is commonly called rice wine, its production process is more similar to beer than wine, as starch (not fructose) feeds the fermentation process. Undiluted sake reaches alcohol levels higher than beer or wine, as high as 20% alcohol by volume.
Region: Nada
One third of all sake in Japan comes from this district of the city of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. Most of the big brewers are there. Why? Historically, great water for brewing and a port for shipping to Tokyo (called Edo back then). Nada sake is generally dryer, sturdy, even-keeled, not so aromatic, masculine.
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Type: Sake