Matsui Shuzoten, “Matsuno Kotobuki” Ginjo Gohyakumangoku
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan MV
Regular price$39.00
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Matsui Shuzoten, “Matsuno Kotobuki” Ginjo Gohyakumangoku
Our ongoing mission to be a diligent curator and trailblazer has resulted in fine wine discoveries from many exotic locales including Bolivia, Armenia, Morocco, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lebanon, and, two years ago, a Ginjo Gohyakumangoku from Japan. But way out here, rice is the sacred raw material, not grapes, and sake is the fascinating drink of choice. To be honest, offering something of this singularity should’ve been nerve-racking, but our confidence was through the roof because its quality and complexity blew us away. So much so, we were determined to offer it again, and that’s when we learned the painful reality of how little was brought in: Only a few dozen cases at a time, once, maybe twice per year. Since that day, we’ve been asking and waiting, and waiting some more, in hopes to score enough. That day has finally come!
For all those who savored their bottles the first time around, this is the freshest batch (bottled just months ago) from the kura, or sake house, of Matsui Shuzoten. With its irresistible aromatics, astounding freshness, creamy palate, and deeply savory finish, one could make a strong case that top-tier sake, like today’s, is one of the most severely misrepresented and undervalued libations in the entire wine sphere. Today, sake enjoys a prominent position on sommelier exams, top wine lists, and my fine “wine” drinking rotation. Cast aside those aspersions and stereotypes—sake is the real deal, and its presence on the global stage grows each day!
After 150+ years of continuous business, the Matsui Shuzoten brewery remains a true husband-wife team. Master brewer, or “toji,” Motohiro Matsui, along with his wife, Machiko, run this tiny brewery in the most intimate way—they live here, nestled in an immense forest of pines. This area holds one of their secrets to crafting pure, top-of-the-line sake: The natural spring water they source for production trickles throughout this hillside pinewood, and it wasn’t discovered by accident. Back in 1865, the original toji, Shioya, was determined to find the finest water source around, and he did so here, deep within the Tochigi Prefecture. His quest and subsequent discovery was celebrated so much that the township was posthumously named after him!
As we have done for some indecipherable German labels, we’re going to break down everything you need to know for this bottle of sake. “Matsui Shuzoten” is the name of the brewery; “Matsuno Kotobuki” is a specific range of sakes they produce; “Ginjo” indicates the level of polish for each individual rice grain (more on that below); and “Gohyakumangoku” refers to the type of rice strain used—this particular rice typically results in a fresh, crisp, and wonderfully fragrant sake.
So how is sake made? Though many brewers choose to buy bulk rice from all over Japan, Motohiro and his wife only purchase rice (Gohyakumangoku for this bottling) that is farmed locally. When the rice arrives at the brewery—harvest occurs in the fall—the milling process begins. Depending on the style and grade, the husks are polished down, removing proteins and fats in order to access the raw starch in the heart of the rice—the pearl inside the oyster! Generally speaking, the more polish a grain receives, the better the quality of the sake. At least 30% must be milled in order to be labeled “Honjozo”; 40% to be labeled “Gingo”; and 50% to be labeled “Daiginjo.” This bottle had 45% of its husk removed, leaving a seimaibuai (the Japanese term for the remaining percentage of rice) of 55%—which equates to “Gingo” grade.
After polishing, the hearts of the rice are washed and steamed, and a mold culture, or “koji,” is introduced. In small batches, the rice then “grows,” and the starch begins its conversion into sugar. The addition of yeast and water follows—this is when their pristine mountain water comes into play—and as fermentation progresses, the portions of each ingredient (water, koji, yeast, rice) are gradually increased. After fermentation, the master brewer can either add a small amount of distillate or avoid it completely (known as Junmai). For this bottle, toji Motohiro Matsui added an alcohol distilled from cane sugar. Before bottling in 2018, it was pasteurized and filtered. Finally, in order to gauge what style and flavor of sake you’ll be experiencing, familiarize yourself with this “Sake Meter Value” chart. This bottle sits at a +5.5 which, if referencing the chart, indicates a dry, crisp, and refreshing style.
“Matsuno Kotobuki” Ginjo Gohyakumangoku pours a pale silver with highly reflective platinum hues and a hint of straw-yellow. As you move towards the clear rim, flashes of green flit in and out of sight. The nose is aromatically stunning and powerful enough to fill a small room! Expect layers of Asian pear, fresh-cut grass, honeysuckle, rice cakes, cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumber peel, white cherry blossoms, fresh mint, acacia, lychee, evergreens, and crushed river rocks. The palate is medium-bodied, incredibly clean, and provides a refreshing mouthfeel with a pleasant creaminess to the fruits. It’s pillowy and round at once, providing crisp pleasures and a savory, long-lasting finish populated with a soft kiss of sweetness. For the most part, sake is best soon after bottling, so I would recommend consuming this over the next year. However, there’s no need to finish in one sitting—due to a higher alcohol content, this can be kept in your fridge over a week after opening. When enjoying, do so around 45-50 degrees in all-purpose stems or traditional ceramic sake cups. The obvious answer for pairing would be an array of sashimi or nigiri, but this bottle provides limitless options. The importer directed us toward a pecorino in walnut leaves starter and we finished the evening with a spicy tuna tartare and a mixture of steamed green vegetables. Japan, sake: You have my attention! Cheers!
