Yesterday, I wrote about a Greek wine produced from a grape saved from extinction and I'm continuing that extinction theme today, but concerning a type of Sake rice.
Iwate Meijo Co., Ltd., a Sake brewery in the city of Oshu in the Iwate Prefecture, was established in 1955 through the merger of two other breweries, which had been founded in the 19th century. It's the only Sake brewery still operating in Oshu. Iwate Meijo's objective is “to be a company that is loved by the local people and can contribute to the development of the local community.” They use locally grown rice, locally sourced water, and create Sake that pairs well with local foods. Oshu is also famous for its Maesawa-gyu, beef which is highly prized, possesses a fine marbled texture and is supposed to taste superb. Thus, some of the Sake Iwate Meijo produces is intended to pair well with this beef.
The Iwate Meijo "Dragon of Oshu" Tokubetsu Junmai Sake ($39.99) was produced from Kame no O rice, a famed rice that nearly passed into extinction until it saw a rebirth in the 1980s. The origin of this rice extends back over 125 years, when, in 1893, Abe Kameji found 3 stalks in a rice field which seemed to be thriving well against the winter chill. This was more than just luck, as Abe was actively seeking such cold-resistant rices. Cultivating those three stalks and engaging in experimentation, over the course of several years, Abe eventually created the Kame no O rice, a pure strain, not a crossbreed.
Abe initially called it Shinho, but a friend wanted to call it "Kameno-ou," which means “the king of rice that was created by Kameji.” Abe wanted a more humble name, so changed his friend's suggestion to Kame no O, which means "turtle's tail."
After that time, Kame no O was planted widely in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions until the mid-20th century. The rice's popularity was due to several reasons, including its cold tolerance, early maturity, high yields, and excellent flavor. However, there were disadvantages too, including that the tall, rice grain was frail and susceptible to wind damage. It's a delicate rice strain, and also popular with numerous vineyard pests. By the 1950s, the rice fell out of favor, almost vanishing from the rice fields.
In the 1980s, Norimichi Kusumi, a Sake brewer from Niigata Prefecture, wanted to resurrect Kame no O, and obtained from seeds from a seed bank. It took Kusumi about three years before he was able to use the rice to produce Sake. This resurrection story was even highlighted in a Japanese manga "Natsuko no Sake." Some refer to Kame no O, as "Phantom Rice" because of its return from near-extinction.
The Kame no O rice in the Iwate Meijo "Dragon of Oshu" Tokubetsu Junmai Sake is polished to 60% and the Sake has a 15% ABV. The nose is interesting, with notes of steamed rice, nuts, and vanilla, while on the palate, it's dry, rich and full-bodied, with a silky mouthfeel. There are complex flavors of banana and melon, vanilla and mushroom, with lots of umami, a moderate acidity, and a lengthy finish. It is intended to be a "red meat" Sake, to pair well with the region's Maesawa-gyu, as well other meats, including pork and chicken, and I would agree it does well with beef.
A fascinating Sake, it's illuminating to show how well it can pair with meats, which is a pairing many people who know little about Sake might not imagine. Sake is too often seen as mainly for Sushi, but people need to understand Sake pairs well with all types of cuisine, and far from just Japanese cuisine. Next type you have a steak, choose this type of Sake rather than a red wine for your pairing.
No comments:
Post a Comment