Junmai Sake Katori 90

Description

Katori 90 is a strange type of sake. Terada Honke seems to have created this cuvée as a reaction (or even a riposte) to the ultra-controlled fruity and floral sakes that dominate the premium market. And it works! Katori 90 is a straightforward, elegant cuvée. It unfolds many aromas without tangling its brushes: citrus and roasted nuts, sage and straw, mineral notes… We like to drink it chilled or hot, as an aperitif or with braised or grilled meats.

But what makes Katori 90 so different from other premium sakes? For starters, it uses rice with very little polish. The “90” in its name refers to the remaining volume of the rice grains with which it is brewed. In other words, almost whole rice. The secret lies in the upper layers of the rice, which contain proteins that are undesirable to many brewers because they are thought to give sake a bad taste. This cuvée proves that this doesn’t have to be the case.

Another noteworthy point is that Katori 90 is fermented by wild yeasts. The vast majority of brewers use selected yeasts, but Terada Honke prefers to let the microorganisms floating in the brewery air do the work. In fact, he proudly states on his official website, “We brew our sake with absolute confidence in the invisible power of the microorganisms that have long lived in our brewery.

Third and finally, Katori 90 uses only organic rice, making it a “natural” sake. But in the end, don’t let all these buzzwords fool you. The most important thing is that this is an excellent sake.

Storage:

This sake can be stored at room temperature, around 20°C. As with any sake, we recommend protecting it from light. For longer storage, it’s best to store the bottle upright in a dark place at around 13°C. Leaving the bottle lying down brings the sake into contact with the cork, which can be damaging.

Ingredients:

Water, rice, koji rice (alcohol: 15%)

Shelf life:

Before opening and under the right conditions (as described above), this sake can be kept for years. After opening, it’s a matter of taste: the classic shelf life is about ten days in the refrigerator, but some aficionados let their bottles mature in the refrigerator for three to four weeks or even longer. It all depends on your taste for oxidized sake.

Serve at any temperature:

Sake can be served chilled (8-10°C), at room temperature (13-16°C), or warm (30-55°C). Each of these serving temperatures will allow you to appreciate new flavors.

When serving warm, we recommend that you heat only the amount of sake you wish to enjoy hot. Purists use a small bottle called a tokuri and heat the sake in a bain-marie. Viveurs put the sake in the microwave. Honestly, both work. Serve in wine glasses or sake goblets.

Drink in moderation, as alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health.