All posts by dragonlife

Robert-Gilles Martineau hails from Bourgogne/Burgundy, France and presently resides in Shizuoka/Japan

Bandai Brewery, Izu City, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shuzenji

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Bandai Brewery-Izu Banyou Junmai Ginjo Homarefuji

June 3, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Bandai is a very old brewery located in ancient hot spring city of Shuzenji now merged to Izu City in the centre of Izu Peninsula.
As Bandai Brewery it is not the oldest brewery in the Prefecture but it has existed under other names for more than 500 years!

In spite of being the sole brewery left in Izu Peninsula somewhat isolated in Shizuoka Prefecture, making it difficult to find their bottles, it keeps abreast of modern ideas and has used Shizuoka-grown Homarefuji sake rice for some time.

The name of this particular brand, “Banyou/満燿” is linked to the origin of the brewery back in 1497 as mentioned by Houjyou Souun/北条早雲, himself a native of Izu Peninsula!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Bottled in January 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: discreet, dry and fruity. Melon.
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and fruity attack backed up by puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: apricot, melons, muscat.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on a drier note of muscat and nuts.
Sweetness will increase with temperature along the discovery o more “facets”.
Varies little with food.

Overall: A bit of a discovery although I have known the brewery for quite some time.
Ought to be better known in spite of the distance to travel to Shuzenji.
Very complex and fruity.
Can be enjoyed on its own or with food at any temperature.
Pairings: oden! (Japanese pot-au-feu)

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Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Japan Gastronomy, Japan Tourism, sushi, Sushi restaurants., Takayama City

Gastronomic Destinations: Matsuki Sushi In Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture!

June 2, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but smiling and attentive.
Equipment & facilities: Traditional but very clean. Excellent and modernized washroom
Prices: Reasonable considering that Gifu Prefecture has no direct access to the sea.
Strong points: Sushi of course, but also all kinds of traditional side Japanese dishes. Good selection of sake including many local. All kinds of drinks available

Matsuki Sushi/松喜すしis a bit far from Takayama City JR station but still in the night entertainment part of the town and is certainly worth the search.
When they saw entering us entering they immediately asked us if we needed any help and advice on what foreigners would enjoy. They had not needed to worry with my staying 40 years in the country but I did appreciate the concern.
There is a good drink menu, bu apart of the sushi prices being advertised (in Japanese) on small wooden slats above the long counter there is o food menu. You need to talk about it with the staff who are very patient and smiling indeed!

They have some good local sake indeed and we chose one by Watanabe Brewery (Takayama City). The sake made in the north mountains of Gifu prefecture tend to be on the sweet side but without being cloying.

We asked the chef to bring us his own selection of sashimi first.
All the seafood came directly from the Japan Sea, that Toyama and Ishikawa Prefectures!

Aji/鯵/Horse mackerel, Maguro chu toro/鮪中トロ/semi fat part of tuna, and amaebi/甘海老/sweet shrimps!

Hirame/平目/Sole or flat fish, and ankimo/アンキモ/sake seamed frogsih liver. Also called Japanese foie gras!

Grilled hotategai/帆立貝/scallops wrapped in dry seaweed!

We then agreed on a six-piece sushi set for each of us!
Once again all seafood from the Japan Sea and a special local morsel!

Baigai/バイ貝/Japanese ivory shell or Japanese babylon!

Lightly seared Hda Beef from Takayama City!

Shiroebi/白エビ/white shrimps in gunkan fashion!

Anago/穴子/Broiled conger eel!

Hirame/平目/sole!

Maguro Chutoro/鮪中トロ/semi-fat tuna!

Afer a long day spent walking all over the place we were still hungry and asked for a couple of side dishes: Chawanmushi/ 茶碗蒸し/steamed salty Japanese pudding!

Geso karaage/ゲソ唐揚げ/deep-fried squid tentacles!

Recommended!

We were kindly served a parting present upon asking for the bill: home-made azuki ice cream!

Definitely highly recommended, especially if you don’t have the time to vist the prefectures nort of Gifu Prefecture!

MATSUKI SUSHI/松喜すし
Owner: Kazuhiko Nakasai/中才一彦さん

506-0007 Gifu Prefeture, Takayama City, Sowa Cho, 1-40
Tel. 0577-34-4766
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~23:00
Open all year round
Credit Cards OK
HOOEPAGE

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Eikun Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake tasting: Eikun Brewery-Eikun Gokugoku Junmai Homarefuji

May 28, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a nectar by a Shizuoka City brewery, Eikun
On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a great nectar by Eikun Brewery from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, at another famous izakaya in Shizuoka City, Kodarumatei, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

Actually the bottle did not bear an official label although all needed information was printed on stickers!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 14 degrees
Dryness: 0
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in May 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: very discreet and dry. Faint bananas and pineapple
Body: fluid
Taste: almost sweet and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: dry bananas, coffee beans, dark chocolate.
Lingers for quite a while on the palate before departing on notes of dry greens.
Turns dry with food with more notes of greens.
Overall: elegant and almost feminine sake.
Sweeter than Shizuoka standards and so easy to drink.
A sake for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: shrimps and seafood, smoked duck, crab salad.

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Haginishiki Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Haginishiki Brewery-Haginishiki Minami Alps Tokubetsu Honjozo Nama Genshu

May 26, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste for the first time in a long time a nectar by a Shizuoka City brewery, Haginishiki Brewery, at a famous in Shizuoka City, You-to, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

It was a rare and very limited sake as You-to as You-to master, Toushirou Yamaguchi, confirmed he barely obtained the last 3 bottles just in time for the event!
It is an “arabashiri” style, meaning the first press unfiltered.

Rice: Biyama Nishiki and Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Dryness: + 5
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: cloudy (white lees unfiltered) but very clean
Color: almost transparent and whitish when stirred
Aroma: discreet and light. Faint bananas and melons
Body: fluid
Taste: Strong and almost sweetish attack.
Complex: white lees, bananas, melon.
Lingers for a while before departing on a strong white lees note.
Varies little with food.

Overall: both a traditional and extravagant sake in spite of its modest arabashiri status.
Very unusual by Shizuoka Prefecture standards.
For light white lees sake lovers.
Perfect for izakaya cuisine of any genre!
Suggested pairings: Japanese-style banya cauda,

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Numazu City, sake, Sake Breweries, Shizuoka Prefecture, Takashima Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune Junmai Homarefuji “Mount Fuji Day”

May 25, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to taste again a nectar by a favorite brewery of mine, Takashima Brewery in Numazu City, at a great izakaya in Shizuoka City, Kin no Okan, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

This particular brand is created every year to be bottled on March 22nd which Mount Fuji Day!
It is a junmai made with a Shizuoka-grown sake rice called Homarefuji!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 3~+ 4
Acidity: 1.3~1.4
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled on March 22nd=23rd, 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Tasted as “nurukan” according to Takashima Brewery’s wish
Aroma: light and discreet. Pineapple, banana.
Body: fluid
Taste: strong, dry and fruity attack backed with puissant junmai petillant
Complex: banana, melon, faint lemon.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on drier notes of pineapple.
Varies little food but for a drier note.
Very easy and enjoyable to drink as it invites to the next cup and the next one!

Overall: another splendid sake especially suited for “nurukan/about 40 degrees temperature”!
It would useful to know that Takashima Brewery produces only junmai-type sake these days!
A sake to enjoy with higher-class izakaya cuisine!
Suggested pairings: BBQ, kusaya, sausages, yakitori.

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Kikugawa City, Morimoto Brewery, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture, Uncategorized

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Koshu Roman 2011Genshu Junmai

May 24, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Sunday May 22nd, I had the occasion to meet again an old friend, namely Hitoshi Morimoto, owner and master brewer at Morimoto Brewery in Kikugawa City at a great izakaya in Shizuoka City, Hana Oto, which took part in the annual Shizuoka De Hashigo Sake event!

The sake served for this special event was a real and very gem, a koshu/aged sake brewed in 2011 and matured at room temperature. It goes without saying that you need incredible expertise and a lot of courage to create such a nectar!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Pasteurized only once
Matured at room temperature
Bottled in 2011

Clarity: very clean
Color: golden
Aroma: dry and fruity. Dry Sherry
Body: fluid
Taste: deep, fruity attack backed up with only a little junmai petillant.
Complex: dry sherry, plums
Lingers for a while before departing on drier notes of greens and more sherry.
Varies little with food but a sweeter note of white sherry.

Overall: simply extravagant and a very rare experience!
Absolutely splendid sake to be enjoyed as a sherry, either at room temperature or lightly warmed.
The kind of sake you appreciate like a fine sherry after dinner in special company!
If you really wish to pair it, do so with roast beef, BBQ, yakitori and cheese!

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sake, Sanwa Brewery, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Hagoromo no Mai Junmai Ginjo

May 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day, while shopping at Cenova Department Store I felt attracted by a old regular nectar by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City.
Being a 300ml bottle it is very practical for keeping chilled in the fridge in these increasingly warm days!

Although Sanwa Brewery is mostly known now for its Garyubai Label, Hagoromo no Mai/The Light Veil Dance in commemoration of a famous legend occurring on Miho Beach in Shimizu Ku, is still produced after many years of existence.

It is completely different from the Garyubbai labels and I thought it was time to taste this year’s nectar!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: golden
Aroma: Assertive, dry and fruity. Pineapple, custard.
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and strong attack backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: coffee beans, almonds, faint oranges.
Lingers for a short while on the palate before departing on dry notes of smoked almonds and walnuts.
Takes an even drier turn with food with strong notes of smoked nuts.

Overall: strong, solid, old fashioned sake untypical of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Obviously conceived to accompany food, especially heavy izakaya fare.
For traditional dry sake lovers!
Suggested pairings: broiled meats, Nabe/Japanese pot-au-feu, BBQ, blue cheese.

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Japanese Cakes, Japanese Gastronomy, Wagashi

Japanese Cakes/Wagashi 1: Introduction

May 20, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

There is a traditional way of making cakes in Japan that ought to please no end vegans and people allergic to wheat flour and dairy products, namely Wagashi!

Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.

Wagashi is typically made from natural based (mainly plant) ingredients. The names used for wagashi commonly fit a formula—a natural beauty and a word from ancient literature; they are thus often written with hyōgaiji (kanji that are not commonly used or known), and are glossed with furigana.

Generally, confectioneries that were introduced from the West after the Meiji Restoration (1868) are not considered wagashi. Most sorts of Okinawan confectionery and those originating in Europe or China that use ingredients alien to traditional Japanese cuisine, e.g., kasutera, are only rarely referred to as wagashi.

Assortment of wagashi for a tea ceremony

During the Edo period, the production of sugarcane in Okinawa became highly productive, and low quality brown sugar as well as heavily processed white sugar became widely available. A type of sugar, wasanbon, was perfected in this period and is still used exclusively to make wagashi. Wagashi was a popular gift between samurai, in significance much like a good wine. Wagashi is served as part of a Japanese tea ceremony, and serving a good seasonal wagashi shows one’s educational background.

Wagashi in the shape of rape flowers/Na no Hana

There are many, many kinds of Wagashi.
I will introduce them in the next posting, followed by another posting on the basic preparation.

Shizuoka’s Abekawa Mochi

Just know that about every region in Japan has its own traditional Wagashi!

Avaibility:
Wagashi is widely available in Japan, but quite rare outside it.
Minamoto Kitchoan (源吉兆庵)
Has a varied selection, and stores in New York City (shipping throughout the US), London (shipping throughout Europe), and Singapore, in addition to Japan.
Toraya (とらや)
Has a full Paris store, stores in Japan, and sells a limited selection (yōkan only) at New York stores.
Fugetsu-do
Family owned and operated in the USA, since 1903, Fugetsu-do now ships anywhere in the USA.

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Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Harumi　(2016 version-3rd Batch)

May 15, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

Last year Aoi Brewing produced its first Harumi craft beer, a fruit craft beer made with real mikan/mandarin oranges grown in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City called “harumi mikan”. Following its great success it will be brewed every year although the quantity is limited due to the restricted availability of the mandarins!

This year’s Harumi will actually be brewed into 3 different batches which are bound to taste differently according to the very difference between the harvested mikan.
The harumi used in this third batch were comparatively bigger and more juicy than in the second batch.
Again the yeast was different.

Served on tap
Barley, Pilsner Malt, Maris Otter malt, Topaz hop, Sapphire hop, French Saison yeast
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Acohol/ABV: 5.5 degrees
IBU: 17
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: Shortish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: lemon/orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Stronger than second batch. Oranges and lemons, orange albedo.
Taste: very deep, dry and fruity attack.
Quite different from second batch. More complex with plenty of green mandarin oranges and citruses.
Beautiful acidity which will fade away on a lighter note.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on notes of oranges and complex acidity
Lemons tend to fight with oranges with every sip
Changes little with food but for the appearance of more and more dry mandarin oranges.

Overall: very elegant and intriguing fruit craft beer.
Simply extravagant, and even better than the second batch!
Should please ladies and dry fruit beer lovers in particular.
A craft beer for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: vegetable salads, mixed nuts.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 18:00~25:00
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

Aoi Brewing Co.,Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyagasaki Chyo, 30
Tel.: 054-294-8911
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00 (Monday~Friday), 15:00~23:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesdays
COD, Cash On Delivery only for all orders.
MAP
FACEBOOK

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK
FACEBOOK

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake Premium Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

May 8, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

This time we tasted a very special and extravagant sake by Oomuraya Brewery in Shimada City!

Wakatake Premium Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Homarefuji!
This is still the only Junami Daiginjo made with Shziuoka Prefecture-grown Homarefuji sake rice in the whole Prefecture!

It was conceived by Master Brewer Wataru Hibino/日比野哲杜氏!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Single pasteurization
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.3
Amino acids: 1.1
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Bottled in April 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Lychees, faint pears, melon and banana.
Body: fluid. Slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong, dry and fruity attack backed with beautiful junmai petillant.
Complex: oranges, lychees.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on drier notes of oranges and apricots.
Lychees make a constant comeback with every sip.
Very pleasant alcohol but not overwhelming in spite of its high contents. Will actually milder with rise of temperature.

Overall: Extravagant, elegant and really masculine despite its complexity.
Will of course please ladies thanks to its superlative balance in strength and elegance.
A sake which ought to be tasted and enjoyed on its own but if you must absolutely pair it I would recommend blue cheese, chocolate, foie gras or broiled conger eel.
Definitely a high class digestif!
At its best slightly chilled, but beware of its alcohol contents! LOL

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00, 12:00~18:00 on Sundays & National Holidays
FACEBOOK (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Harumi　(2016 version-2nd Batch)

April 30, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

This year’s Harumi will actually be brewed into 3 different batches which are bound to taste differently according to the very difference between the harvested mikan.
The harumi used in this second batch were comparatively bigger and more juicy than in the first batch.
Moreover the yeast was different.

Served on tap
Barley, Pilsner Malt, Maris Otter malt, Topaz hop, Sapphire hop, Belgian HJ yeast
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Acohol/ABV: 5.5 degrees
IBU: 17
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: longish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Stronger than first batch. Dry oranges
Taste: deep, dry and fruity attack.
More complex with plenty of green mandarin oranges and citruses.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on notes of oranges with late appearance of pleasant acidity..
Mandarin oranges will surge even more strongly with further sips and acidity will also increase
Changes little with food but for the appearance of more and more dry mandarin oranges.

Overall: very elegant fruit craft beer.
Simply extravagant, and even better than the first batch!
Should please ladies and dry fruit beer lovers in particular.
A craft beer for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: vegetable salads, mixed nuts.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 18:00~25:00
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

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Bamboo shoots, fern, Shizuoka Prefecture, warabi, Wild Mountain Vegetables

Fern & Bamboo Shoots Picking and BBQ in Higashi Mine, Shizuoka City wth Marufuku Seicha Co.!

April 30, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

The other Sunday I was invited by my good friend, ms. Asami Iti/伊藤麻美さん, owner of a very progressive green tea company, Marufuku Seicha Company in Shizuoka, to a “warabi” picking party!
“Warabi/ワラビ/fern” is a typical Japanese wild mountain vegetable picked up in the nature in late March here!

Asami has a land developed by her late father up in the mountains of Higashi Mine in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, up the Abe River at about 1,000 meters altitude where she grows organic Japanese plums.

The highest altitude green tea fields in Japan!

I go there quite a few times every year, but it is always quite an expedition as after reaching the end of the road we have to walk down quite a ways a steep mountain slope!

Cherry trees and others were still blooming up there!

Spring flowers everywhere!

We finally reached the tradtional Japanese house that Asami’s father had built piece by piece as a “mountain retreat”!

The land in front of the house is lined with dozens of plum trees and the occasional cherry tree.
The land has not seen any fertilizer or agrichemicals for at least 20 years, making a real organic environment!
The “only problem” is that the land is roamed with wild deer who have the bad habit of leaving leeches in the soft soil!

The whole space in front of the house is also covered with fern or bracken, called “warabi” in Japanese. The plant needs some preparation before cooking but it is certainly worth it!

Yuichi Shiozawa, a friend who had joined us, proud of his first harvest!

Harvesting the traditional Japanese way!

We also took the opportunity to clean the whole land before organizing the BBQ inside and outside the house!

Part of the warabi harvest!
We had enough to share between five people!

We also got some bamboo shoots in nearby land!
As for the fern it does take some preparations but it is so much worth it!

We organised the BBQ inside the house around a “irori/traditional Japanese fireplace”!

As lighting charcoal takes quite a while on the irori I prepared plenty outside!

We had some homemade traditional Japanese cakes, “wagashi”, to help us wait!

Another friend of ours, Junko Horie helped with the fire!

Starting getting serious with preparation of the food (and the drinks!)!

Plenty of food and drinks after the hard work!

Asami had brought a portable smoking apparatus!

The “smoke” of the day!

Smoking away!

i opened it just in time to prevent the cheese from running through the grill!

Complete with rice balls/musubi!

The crowd of the day: Naomi Yokota, ,Junko Horie, Asami Ito and Yuichi Shiozawa!

And then it was back up the slope carrying our bounty!

We left just before it started to rain! See you there again in June for organic plums picking!

Marufuku Tea Factory (Owner: Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻実さん)
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu, Cho, 25
Tel.: 054-271-2011
Fax: 054-271-2010
Mobile: 090-3250-4188

CHA-O (Director, Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻実さん)
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu Cho, 94
Tel: 054-253-8421
Fax: 054-253-8413
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Oomuraya Brewery, sake, Sake Breweries, Shimada City, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake Junmai Ginjo Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 28, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Friday, April 22nd, A special sake tasting party was held at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, with Master Brewer Wataru Hibino/日比野哲杜氏 who brought four different sake all made with Shizuoka-grown homarefuji sake rice!

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our fourth tasting was a Junmai Ginjai would eventually be called Wakatake Junmai Ginjo!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 2
Acidity: 1.4
Amino acids: 1.2
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Banana
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: banana, vanilla, almonds, lychees.
Lingers for a while before departing on notes of sweetish lychees.
Varies little with food but for some oranges.

Overall: Another elegant and intriguing sake!
Would do do well with any vegetable-based food although eminently enjoyable on its own!
Suggested pairings: Shrimps salad, bamboo shoots dishes.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Oomuraya Brewery, sake, Sake Breweries, Shimada City, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-“Take No Kaze” Junmai Daiginjo Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 27, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our third tasting was Junmai Daiginjo which will be called “Take no Kaze/Wind in the Bamboos” when it is bottled!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 50%
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.2
Amino acids: 1.0
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in April 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and discreet. Pears.
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and dry fruity attack backed up a little junmai petillant.
Lingers for a little while before departing on drier notes of lychees, and coffee beans.
Turns a little sweetish with food at first but quickly switches back to dryness.

Overall: Intriguing sake.
But a dangerous ones as it slyly entices you to try the next cup and the next cup!
Just superb!
Suggested pairings: light vegetable stews.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Oomuraya Brewery, sake, Sake Breweries, Shimada City, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-“Oniotome Koi” Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our second tasting was the summer edition of the now famous “Oniotome/The Goblin’s Fiancee” seasonal series called “koi/Falling in Love”!
It is a Tokubetsu Junmai (no pure rice alcohol blended in) Nama (unpasteurized)

Rice : Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.4
Amino acids: 1.3
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and fruity. Banana, vanilla, lychees
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up with pleasant junmai petillant.
Complex: lychees, oranges.
Very soft on the palate.
Lingers for a while before departing on drier notes of oranges.
Tends to get drier with food.

Overall: Another sake for all seasons in spite of the fact it is a summer edition!
Definitely becoming a classic!
Best enjoyed on its own, although it will marry easily with food!
Suggested pairings: Sashimi, vegetable salads.

LA SOMMELIERE

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