How many sake regions do you know? Hyogo Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture are surely one of the hugest regions of sake production, but when it comes to both quality and quantity, Yamagata Prefecture must not be missed. Many big names such as Jyuyondai and Dewazakura are all from here. However, other than these brands, a lot of excellent breweries can also be found. This month, Saketora will bring you some high-quality Yamagata sake with a special free-shipping set that includes a 16% discount! Enjoy these brilliant sakes and read our summary about Yamagata Prefecture!
Yamagata Prefecture,
the Ginjo Kingdom
Terroir of Yamagata
With a history of over 400 years of sake brewing, Yamagata Prefecture is benefited by the nature. The winter is extremely cold with the average temperature reaching 0 in January and February, so the environment is optimal for slow fermentation and can prevent bacteria growing during the production. The underground water from the mountains also contains less iron, which leads to a soft and crisp texture in sake. Local rice with big shimpaku such as Dewasansan and Yukimegame is grown here as well, so high polishing ratio can be achieved, resulting in more ginjo sake.
GI Yamagata
Geographical identification (GI) is common for wine. For example, wine cannot be labelled as Bordeaux AOC and Bourgogone AOC unless it fulfills strict criteria like using certain kinds of grapes and producing within designated area. To protect the local industry and enable customers to distinguish the quality of sake, the sake industry has started to introduce the system of GI. In 2016, the GI system also began in Yamagata Prefecture. To be certified with “GI Yamagata”, sake must be fermented and aged in Yamagata and pass a strict screening. For those who want to try Yamagata sake, you may remember the logo of the GI!
