Our final stop on our World Tour of Sparkling Wine is Japan.
While Japan does grow grapes and make wine, today we are focusing on something a little different – Sparkling Sake! Please note that some of the wines in the “Around the World in Seven Days of Sparkling Wine” were provided to me as trade samples.
Sake is often referred to as “rice wine,” although it is brewed from rice, water, koji (a type of spore that grows on grains) and yeast.
It’s not known when sake was first developed in Japan. However, the first alcoholic rice drink was most likely made during the Yayoi Period (300 BC – 300AD) when rice cultivation was brought over from China.
Today’s featured sparkling is Awa Sparkling Sake from Hakkaisan.
Hakkaisan sake brewery was founded in 1922 and is located at the foot of Mount Hakkai in Niigata.
Niigata prefecture is famous for sake, and also has the most sake breweries in the country. Located a 2 hour Shinkansen (Bullet Train) ride from Tokyo, it’s on the Sea of Japan side of the country.
Niigata is also known for its snow and it’s believed that the melted snow benefits the mountain spring water used in sake production.
Awa sparkling sake is brewed in small batches in the traditional style, but also goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle to create the bubbles.
Awa is made to be served chilled and can be served in a champagne flute or a traditional sake cup. I opted for a flute.
The bubbles were tiny and very vigorous with a nice mousse to it. The sake itself was crystal clear and it tasted a little sweet, but not as sweet as other sake I have tried.
I’m not that knowledgeable about sake, but I absolutely loved this sparkling take on traditional sake.
If you didn’t know, I grew up in Japan so I am very excited to showcase something special from home.
