Prefecture: Saga
Rice & polishing: Oyama Nishiki, polished to 55%
Style: Junmai Ginjo
Food pairings: Pineapple and tropical fruit desserts, sautéed vegetables with wasabi or grated daikon, grilled fish, hard cheeses
Taste: Melon, lightly prickly, gently acidic, softly dry
Alc.: 17%
Made entirely with Oyama Nishiki rice, this Junmai Ginjo from Koimari's Saki line opens with a refreshing, melon-like top note. The palate has a faint natural prickle, gentle acidity and a lovely sweetness that spreads through the mouth, before a soft dryness appears towards the finish. Sweetness, acidity and dryness are in good balance. Its fruity character works surprisingly well with tropical fruit desserts, and it is equally at home with sautéed vegetables, grilled fish or hard cheeses. Serve chilled.
SMV: ±0
About the brewery
The Maeda family ran a kimono business in the Edo period before Maeda Kenshichi turned to brewing at Imari, Saga, in 1909. The Koimari mark, named for the town's famous porcelain, followed in 1971, and the more modern Saki line was added in 2008. Fourth-generation president Kumiko Maeda now leads the brewery, keeping to its history while exploring the form sake should take today.
