Happy World Sake Day: 6 of the best Japanese rice wine drinks around
October 1 is World Sake Day, so we raise a toast to half a dozen brands of the Japanese rice wine that the world is only now discovering
It is World Sake Day and STYLE would like to take this opportunity to raise a glass to this popular Japanese alcoholic drink.
The origins of sake are said to date back to the Nara period (710-794), but it wasn’t until the mid-2000s that it debuted on the world stage by reinventing itself for young, hip urbanites.
Did you know that you can pair sake – or “nihonshu”, the more precise Japanese term – with all sorts of food, the way you do with wine, whether you are having Asian or Western fare? Would it surprise you to learn that its range extends to sparkling versions, too?
To celebrate this day, we’ve listed some of the most popular sparkling sake you should know about. Enjoy, and “kanpai!”
1. Ninki-ichi Sparkling Junmai Daiginjo
Brewing location: Fukushima, Japan
Description: A sake that is used in award ceremonies such as Japan’s top auto racing class, the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon. Its name, “Ninki-ichi”, means “most popular”, but those who know Japanese will tell you that it is a play on words meaning a sake that is brewed by people who pour all their feelings into the process of making it. The rice wine provides a good balance between sourness and sweetness, with hints of white chocolate aroma, apple jelly, pear, spiced apple and radish finish. The Ninki-ichi Junmai Daiginjo also comes in ranges labelled “Natural”, “Silver”, “Gold” and “Purple”.
Pair with: Dishes that highlight their fresh ingredients such as seafood. It is also recommended as a palate cleanser between courses.