March 2010 Sake Tastings
At the end of this month, the much-anticipated Masumi Arabashiri Namazake from Nagano arrives at SAKAYA and at selected restaurants in NYC. An early spring seasonal unpasteurized sake (namazake is unpasteurized sake), it has become a favorite of many of our customers and has won fans among sake enthusiasts and neophytes alike.
What is arabashiri? In the latter stages of the sake brewing process, the fermented mash of rice, water, yeast and koji, called the moromi is pressed to separate the liquid (sake) from the solids (sake kasu). This pressing portion of the process has three stages and the sake from each is earmarked for separate bottlings. Arabashiri is the first stage which yields a sake that has a bright, zingy, fresh taste. Arabashiri is followed by Nakadori (middle stage) and Seme (the last stage).
We’ll also be featuring two exquisite sake, Kanbara “Bride of the Fox” Junmai Ginjo and Tentaka Kuni “Hawk in the Heavens” Junmai, from Hiroko’s recent six kura itinerary in northeastern Japan on March 12 and a tasting of one of Saga prefecture’s finest sake, Azumaichi Junmai, on March 20.
We hope that you can join us for one or all of these memorable sake experiences!
Saturday, March 6, 2010, 4 to 6PM
JFC Importer Sake Tasting
Kotsuzumi Junmai & Junmai Daiginjo (Hyogo)
Friday, March 12, 2010, 6 to 8PM
Vine Connection Importer Sake Tasting
Kanbara Junmai Ginjo (Niigata) & Tentaka Junmai (Tochigi)
Saturday, March 20, 2010, 4 to 6PM
Azumaichi Junmai (Saga)
Friday, March 26, 2010, 6 to 8PM
World Sake Import Sake Tasting
Masumi Arabashiri (Nagano)
