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In the past, you only drank sake with sushi. The only drama: Do you like it hot or cold? Today, sake appears on all kinds of wine and cocktail lists -- and not just in Japanese restaurants. There are dozens of styles, many of which are available only seasonally. With this explosion of rice wine options, it helps to know your ginjo from junmai. Hereís a cheat sheet.
junmai-shu -- made from rice only, full-bodied
honjozo-shu -- made with a small amount of alcohol, light and fragrant
ginjo-shu -- higher quality, complex, fruity
daiginjo-shu -- even more high quality and even more fragrant and delicate
In a sampling of sake from one trusted importer, Joto, one bottle really stood out -- a five-word tongue twister called Kasumi Tsuru Shiboritate Namazake Genshu. ìNamazakeî means it is unpasteurized; ìgenshuî means undiluted; ìshiboritateî means freshly pressed. It is best consumed cold, ideally with an ice cube, making it a great summer drink.
Unlike drier sakes, this namazake is silky and creamy with a zingy, mild, green apple flavor and some almond aftertaste. Itís refreshing, but beware. At 20 percent alcohol, it's substantially stronger than your average wine or beer. Anyone know the Japanese word for ìwastedî?
-- James Oliver Cury
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