Japan

Light and silky mouthfeel, some marshmallow sweetness, and a crisp dry finish. This sake can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature or gently warmed. Recommended food pairings include sushi, sashimi and salads. It also complements grilled meats

94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:"Very pale yellow. Complex nose offers saline, herbal and spicy notes, with a minty coolness. Wonderfully subtle, complex and precise, with a distinctly ethereal quality, high-pitched minerality and superb lift. Finishes very dry and persistent, with lovely lift. This is made inside an igloo in Hokkaido, in Japan's extreme north, where below-freezing temperature prevents unwanted bacteria from surviving, thus ensuring a very pure sake. The clear sake is separated from the fermenting rice lees by putting it into canvas bags and allowing the sake to drip out overnight (as opposed to pressing it)."

The aroma of this sake bursts out of the glass. Floral, fruity, funky and complex, it accurately precludes the matching flavors of this sake. It finishes lively to the end, with a bright, snappy acidity. Great on its own, an apogee of ginjo sake, showing how nihonshu can rival any beverage for complexity, showmanship, depth and range.

Pairings: Spicy Asian, game meat, Thanksgiving dinner, monk fish liver, soy based sauces, cheese and fruit desserts. As varied as its flavor.