• Prefecture: Tochigi

• Rice & polishing: Nasu-grown Gohyakumangoku, polished to 55%

• Style: Junmai Ginjo

• Food pairings: Yakitori, gyoza, tempura, salt-grilled fish

• Taste: Citrusy, balanced, elegant, rice-driven

• Alc.: 15%

A Junmai Ginjo made entirely with Gohyakumangoku rice grown in Nasu. It opens with a fresh citrus aroma, and the natural flavour of the rice is drawn together by an elegant acidity. Very well balanced and never tiring, it is one of the most popular sakes in the Daina range and a natural companion to a meal. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with everyday Japanese dishes, from grilled chicken to tempura.

SMV: +4

About the brewery

Kikunosato Shuzo has brewed at Otawara in northern Tochigi since 1866, on the Nasunogahara plain, where rice has been grown since antiquity and ground water from the Naka River is plentiful. The brewery is small, with four full-time staff plus seasonal hands. Its revival since 2004 has been built on the Daina label, which now leads the range alongside plum and yuzu liqueurs.