Keigetsu John Sparkling Sake (37.5cl)
£26.25
The wine
Sparkling sake is bottle-fermented in the same way as traditional-method sparkling wine, with a second fermentation trapped in the bottle, and it is a small but growing category in Japan.
It is served cold in a wine glass rather than a sake cup, and works as an aperitif in the same role Champagne fills. Keigetsu brew in Tosa Reihoku in Kōchi prefecture on Shikoku, one of the smallest of the four main Japanese islands, where soft water and a mild maritime climate give a clean, dry regional style. This is the half bottle.
The producer
Keigetsu
View all Keigetsu winesKeigetsu is a family owned sake brewery in the mountains of Tosa Reihoku, in Japan's Kōchi Prefecture, making sake since 1877. It is run today by sixth generation head brewer Muneki Matsumoto from the original brewery building, now more than 140 years old. The name evokes the beautiful sight of the moon hanging over the nearby Katsurahama shore.
The sakes are made from organically grown local rice, chiefly Gin no Yume, Yamada Nishiki and the rare table variety Akitsuho. Matsumoto believes his local rice, grown within twelve kilometres of the brewery on terraced paddies at 300 to 600 metres, is perfectly suited to the region. The remote elevation and pure water from the source of the Yoshino River create ideal conditions for premium rice and yuzu alike.
The range is wide and expressive. It runs from the pure, dry Gin no Yume Junmai Daiginjo and the elegant, Kimoto brewed Sake Nature to the crystal clear John Sparkling Sake and the cloudy, tropical Nigori. A savoury Yamahai Junmai adds umami depth, while a vivid yuzu sake, made with hand squeezed Tosa yuzu, offers something quite different.
Precise, characterful and deeply tied to their mountain home, Keigetsu's sakes have earned trophies at the International Wine Challenge and beyond. They reward the curious and pair beautifully with food. This is premium Japanese sake at its very finest.
