Whether you observe the Christmas Holiday or not, today is a very chill, very quiet day for most of us–not your typical Wednesday to say the least. So, we’re featuring a very atypical discovery for you all today: sake! It's been a long time, probably too long, since we’ve featured Japan’s signature fermented beverage, but we’re making up for lost time with a unique, and truly memorable rice wine. Now, full disclosure: I’m not the biggest sake drinker. I’m a wine guy, and even with sushi I like something with crunchier fruit and brighter acidity, but that’s why today’s feature from the small brewery of Tsuji Zenbei is a perfect fit for everyone. This bottle is made with Champagne yeast, and so it marries perfectly the aromatics and umami of sake with the elegant texture and zippy finish of the very best white wines. The few sakes that have really blown my mind have generally been way into the triple digits, but this beauty is one of my all time favorites already and the price is extremely reasonable. Grab some for the new year, you’ll be happy you did!
Before we jump into the wonderful little brewery of Tsuji Zenbai, let’s give those who want or need it a quick refresher on the basics of sake. First, it is made from rice (duh). Second, the quality of the sake depends both on the quality and growing conditions of the rice (similar to the French concept of terroir). But there is a second quality marker that is completely unique: the polish of the rice. A kernel is mostly starch, but at the center there is protein, and to get closer to that nugget of pure, delicious protein you gently grind, or “polish,” the rice. The more starch is polished off, the higher the quality (and the cost too, of course). And because rice is harvested several times, and in many different places, throughout the year there isn’t a single vintage. Instead you make sake in batches, much like beer, which is why they’re called breweries.
Indeed, much like beer production here in the U.S., most sake is made in mass quantities from low polish, low quality rice. Think “free” hot sake at the local sushi joint, or worse those college day sake “bombs.” However, there has always been a craft brewery contingent, and it has become a real movement in the last few decades. Tsuji Zenbai is one of the small, old-school breweries that has a resurgence and has also been at the forefront of innovation balanced with tradition. They’re located in Sakuragawa, a medium-sized village at the foot of a mountain that is about 30 miles north of Tokyo.
Tsuji Zenbai was founded in the mid 18th century, and has been passed down through 16 generations now. How’s that for tradition! But they’re currently known for some modern innovations including using five different refrigeration units to age their different batches of sake at different temperatures (and for different amounts of time). They use only locally sourced rice, and unlike the vast majority of breweries they polish all the rice themselves in-house. The region is also well known for its very soft water, which adds extra layers of complexity and umami.
The current family member at the helm is a big fan of Champagne, which is why they produced this special, very small production sake using Premier de Mousse-Champagne yeast. The result is a very bright, lifted, and vinous style of sake. Serve cool to cold (never warm or hot!) in all-purpose glasses and you’ll get a rush of bright citrus fruits, lemon-lime zest, white peach, ripe plum, celery leaf, tarragon, white flowers, and lots of savory, earthy umami. Serve it with sushi of course, or with anything that is fried! Happy Holidays!
