Akashi Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake

Product Description

The Ninki brewery is located in Nihonmatsu City in the Fukushima prefecture and is surround by the Abukuma mountain ranges to the east and Adatara Mountain ranges to the west. Run-off snow melt gives Ninki a natural water source with a good balance of minerals which is essential for producing high-grade Sake. They also only use locally-grown Sake rice to brew their sake. Ninki-Ichi only makes Ginjo Sake, a premium type of Sake, which must be made from rice that has at least 40% of the outer grain milled away. Ninki only makes Sake from rice that has been milled at least 60% and fermented slowly at low temperatures. Ginjo Sake is usually the brewery’s top grade of Sake. Ninki Brewery is a very small brewery and all sake production is hand-crafted using only traditional methods and traditional wooden tools, Japanese cauldrons for steaming and trays for koji-kaking. Ninki Ichi Rice Magic Sparkling Sake is made allowing the standard Sake and koji (the fungus used for fermentation) to undergo a secondary fermenation in the bottle in a process similar to Champagne production. The bottle is designed by the Swedish designer, Ulrica Hydman Vallien as part of the Japan Tsunami Relief Project. The name Ninki translates as “popularity”, but the company is now branding Ninki as “Man (Nin) makes sake by their soul (Ki)”. They have also added the suffix “Ichi”, meaning “One”, to their name to show that they aim to be number 1. Their sparkling Sake is given to winning racing drivers in Formula Nippon motor-racing, in much the same way F1 drivers are given Champagne to spray around!

Clear. Nectarine and creamy nougat aromas and flavors with a supple dryish medium body and a touch of caramel, fruit, leather and dusty potato skins on the finish.