I am a fan of Japanese sake from Shiga prefecture, which is just over the mountain from Kyoto. The ward of Kyoto called Fushimi, in the south of the city, is the second largest sake producing region in Japan. While Fushimi has the perfect water and Kyoto’s millennia culinary culture, it ought to be producing really great sake, but I am perpetually underwhelmed by it. Shiga, on the other hand, has some of my favorite breweries, including my all time favorite: Furosen. Another brewery that I have been impressed with is Dokan. However, I have had a difficult time getting ‘namazake‘, fresh, unpasteurized sake from Dokan in Kyoto. Today though, I found it and snapped up the last bottle in the refrigerated case. (Real sake, fresh sake, must be refrigerated!) The sake is called, ‘Dokan Wataribune Junmai Nama Genshu’ (道灌 純米生原酒 渡船).
This sake is pleasantly fruity on both the nose and tongue. Perhaps a bit more sweet than dry, but, a nicely balanced palate. Being nama (fresh) and genshu (undiluted) sake, Dokan’s Junmai Nama Genshu packs a punch — nearly 18%, yet is delicate, fruity and fresh with solid acidity. This was a really delightful sake. Thank you Dokan!
What does the name mean?
Dokan (道灌): brand name
Wataribune (渡船): rice variety (this grown in Shiga)
Junmai (純米): unfortified sake
Nama (生): unpasteurized
Genshu (原酒): undiluted
Sake: Japanese rice wine
