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Akashi-Tai Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake is made at the Akashi Sake Brewery. It is made in the same way as Champagne and other traditional method sparkling wines, starting with a Ginjo Sake, which then undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle.
The Akashi Sake Brewery was founded by the Yonezawa family in 1886 in the town of Akashi, one of the major fishing towns in the west of Japan. It is an excellent location for a sake brewery with the surrounding fertile soils, perfect for growing rice and plenty of clean spring water supplies, which are needed for sake production.
Akashi Tai is a small artisanal brewery, known as a kura, that would have previously mainly supplied the local population. However, since the new president, Kimio Yonezawa, took over, there have been some major developments. The brewery has expanded and modernised its sake-brewing activities, and now produces and sells a wide variety of hand-crafted sakes (as well as Hatozaki Whisky and 135 East Gin).
Akashi Tai Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake is made using only locally grown Chiyonishiki rice from the Hyogo Prefecture. It is classified as Ginjo, a premium type of Sake made with rice that has at least 40% of the outside of the rice grains (the bran) polished away. The term “Junmai” means no distiller’s alcohol is added, as it can be in other Sakes, e.g. Honjozo Sake.
The Sake undergoes a careful, low-temperature fermentation and then undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle with some more of the koji (the fungus used in the first, alcoholic fermentation process) to produce the fizz.
Unlike sparkling wines, which are disgorged to remove the dead yeast cells, the koji remains in the bottle as a fine sediment. Therefore, Sake can either be poured very carefully and served clear, or cloudy. Read more: How to serve Sparkling Sake – clear or cloudy?
Sparkling Sake is the fastest-growing category of sake sales and is known as “happo-shu” in Japanese. In Japan, Sparkling Sake is given to winning racing drivers in Super Formula motor racing, in much the same way F1 drivers are given Champagne to spray around!
This Sparkling Sake is also available from Fareham Wine Cellar in 72cl bottles.
Akashi-Tai Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake is delicate and zesty with hints of lemon, peach, and banana. This sake offers an invigorating first impression, with refreshing, soft citrus notes and a harmoniously balanced finish.
It can be enjoyed on its own, as an aperitif or throughout the meal. Serve chilled in a flute-style glass.
Good food pairings for Sparkling Sake include fresh salad with avocado and asparagus, cold cut meat and marinated fish and coconut ice cream with strawberries. It is also good with fresh seasonal fruits.
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