Hori
We received one of our personal Hall of Fame brands, Sansho.
Again, this time it was a basic bottle, a Ni-no-no-shiro of Yamada-Nishiki.
All the bottles we have had so far are Yamada-Nishiki, and this is the fourth bottle we have had, from Ni-No-No-No-Sai.
Ni-no-no-kozo is made from rice grown in the Kikuchi River basin and is "sake yeast" brewed. From the current brewing year, the regulations for this nounosai have been further clarified, and the highest level of nounosai seems to be the "Twelve Nounosai," which even incorporates horse cultivation.
The difference from other sake is that the value is not in the rice used or the rice polishing ratio, but in how well the ancient production method is reproduced (≒ how much time and effort is put into it).
When the bottle was opened, the gas pressure was strong, but not so strong that it knocked the cork off. When poured into a glass, it bubbles like a carbonated beverage.
The mouthfeel is as usual, with a nice crispness and a touch of sizzle. I think this is the best wine every time I drink it. The fruity, sparkling wine-like flavor is the same as usual, but this time it has a white grape-like atmosphere, whereas in the past it had a purple grape nuance like Kyoho grapes.
The subtle differences in flavor from one brewing to the next remind me of the fact that sake is an extension of agricultural products. It is a fascinating sake produced by the hand of man and the wonders of nature.
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