Sakés
Metropolitan is proud to bring to market an evergrowing list of premium sakés from both the U.S. and Japan. This category has grown tremendously over the last few years, and it has been really exciting to introduce these wonderful products to our clients.
SAKÉONE (Oregon, United States)
SakéOne was founded in 1997 in Forest Grove, Oregon, as the first and only premium sake producer in the U.S. Some distance away from its California counterparts, the location was chosen because the east slope of the Cascade Range was identified as an ideal water source for its purity. A partnership was formed between SakéOne and Momokawa, one of Japan's most revered sakéries, to bring the longstanding traditions of Japanese saké-making and merge it with American drive and technology. All of SakeOné's products are handcrafted in the traditional style in small batches using fresh, premium ingredients, resulting in sakés that are of the highest quality. SakéOne continues to lead the revolution in the world of saké, recognized for outstanding quality by leading publications worldwide.
Off-dry with melon & tropical fruit flavours with spice & mineral notes.
Aromatic, crisp & dry. Mineral & steel notes with hints of green apple & pear.
Sweet, complex & full-bodied. Coconut & tropical fruit aromas abound in this genshu (undiluted) sake. The palate offers notes of vanilla & pineapple with banana, coconut & anise rounding out a creamy body.
Lush aroma of fresh-off-the-tree Asian Pear. Creamy body with big pear flavours & a hint of sweetness. Great for martinis & cocktails.
Fresh-picked raspberries waft subtly on the nose & intensify through the palate — soft, slightly sweet & smooth. Excellent as an aspertif or for cocktails.
First super-premium saké brewed in the U.S. Hints of spice give way to rich creamy layers of ripe melon flavours with pear & plum, followed by a long, lingering tropical & spice finish. An inspired & complex Junmai Ginjo Genshu saké.
GINGA SHIZUKU (Hokkaido, Japan)
Each year, after the temperature drops below 14° Fahrenheit, this brewery builds an Ice Dome outside the main kura (brewery) building. It is an igloo inside of which the temperature stays about 28° F, with 90% humidity and no wind, the ideal condition to make clean, pure, ultra-premium saké. Additionally, the clear saké is separated from the fermenting rice lees not by pressing, but rather by putting it into canvas bags and allowing the saké to drip out slowly overnight.
A prominent fragrance, a clean and fresh taste, with flavoir deep into the recesses. Truly one of the "Rolls-Royces" of saké. Made with Yamadanishiki rice, the finest saké rice.
MANTENSEI (Tottori, Japan)
The Tottori Prefecture where Mantensei is located is one of the least populated regions of Japan — mountains, oceans and wooded areas vie for space with people in the minority. The clean air and the cold winters make it ideal for saké brewing.
Soft, honey-laced nose with a hint of fruitiness. Dry overall, but with a sweet element.
MUKUNE (Osaka, Japan)
Yasutaka Daimon is the sixth-generation director of this family brewery. His kura (sakérie) is blessed with a natural spring providing water that is rich in minerals and pure enough to be used in the production of excellent saké.
Mellow & dry profile with plenty of richness.
Murai Family (Aomori, Japan)
Murai Family is located in the Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu. The Murai family's passion for saké is reflected in its nearly 200 years of handcrafting saké. The water used to brew Murai Family saké is tapped from the Oirase River aquifer, located 250 meters below the surface, where it undergoes a natural filtering and softening process. And only the finest varietals of rice, sourced from long-established relationships with rice growers in each of the finest regions, are used. Toji (sakémaster) Yoshio Koizumi has been awarded the lifetime achievement award by Japan's leading association of industry, government, and consumers, placing him in the top five brewers, winemakers, and distillers in all of Japan.
Sweet with rich hints of coconut, pineapple & vanilla. Bold & hearty saké. Mutsuhomare rice.
An elegant, crisp & dry Junmai with melon aromas & rich cantaloupe flavours accompanying a creamy body.
Medium-dry, full-bodied with a lush earthiness & rich melon favors. A long, spicy finish lingers with this lush saké.
Named "Best Saké in Japan" & "World Champion Saké" by Wine Enthusiast. Dry, very complex, mellow & fruity. Made with Yamadanishiki rice, the finest saké rice.
NANBU BIJIN (Iwate, Japan)
Toji (sakémaster) Hajime Yamaguchi has been with this kura (sakérie) since 1964 and has won countless awards. In 1992, he was selected by the Ministry of Labour as one of the "100 Great Craftsmen". Nanbu Bijin's sakés are brewed with water that is purified naturally as it courses through the mountain rock on its way to the sea.
Elegant & soft fragrance, with a flavour that is reminiscent of pears & muscat grapes.
RIHAKU (Shimane, Japan)
Rihaku was named for a famous poet in China who lived from A.D. 701-762 and was famous for drinking a lot before writing. He was known to have said, "I drink a bottle, and can write 100 poems."
Characterized by a well-rounded flavour with solidness to the flavour and fragrance & a clean finish. Yamadanishiki rice polished to 55%.
TOZAI (Osaka, Japan)
Tozai, literally translated from the Japanese as "East-West", is the result of the collaborative passions, skills, and experiences of dedicated people from both Eastern and Western backgrounds. The brewery was founded in 1826 and is located at the foot of the scenic Ikoma mountain range in Katano City, near Osaka. Their toji (master brewer) is Philip Harper, who was born in the UK and is Japan's first and only foreign-born Master Brewer. Together with their American importer, they created a brand of super-premium, artisan saké that is delicious to drink, beautifully packaged and labeled with original art work, and all at a reasonable price that appeals to both saké lovers and novices alike.
Aromas of white grape, anise & a hint of sweet rice. Medium-bodied palate, with a slightly creamy texture followed by a touch of white pepper and herbal notes. Long & clean finish.
Bright & fresh aromas of both rice & fruit. Solid & creamy in the mouth, with a lovely mellowness on the palate. Pleasant & dry finish.
Aromas of yellow grapefruit skin & a hint of ripe strawberry. On the palate, the flavors head toward apricot, tangy kiwi & a touch of grapefruit rind. Well-balanced.