Joto The Pink One Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ML)
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Winemaker Notes
Floral aromas, with peach and melon on palate, and lingering melon on the finish.
Serve chilled with light foods and acidic flavors like salads, sushi, vinegars and fish sauces.
Many people love sake but find it intimidating and indecipherable. Joto's mission is to serve as a bridge between Japanese artisanal sake and the American market. They aim to bring the world of artisanal sake to life without "dumbing it down," "Americanizing it," or just making it cheesy.
Joto is Japanese for "highest level" and describes the makers of their sake and their aspirations. They are the exclusive importer for multi-generational, family-owned breweries whom they identify and approach after trying their sake in Japan and reading about their brands in Japanese food and beverage publications. The jizake (local) breweries are located throughout Japan, producing sake in small batches with locally-raised indigenous rice varieties, offering flavors and styles ideal for a range of cuisines. Their passion for breweries that have rich and wonderful histories makes them fun to learn about and explore.
A notch above Junmai in its milling requirement, by definition Junmai Ginjo requires milling of 40% of the rice grain so that 60% of each grain remains. The categories of saké are established not by rice variety, but by the polishing or milling percentages. Junmai Ginjo is made up solely of water, koji mold, yeast and rice and is brewed without any additon of alcohol. This style goes well with fresh, lightly seasoned dishes such as sashimi, carpaccio or seared oysters.
The introduction of the waterwheel in the 17th century, which eliminated the need for the manual polishing of rice grains, allowed Japan to begin producing saké at an industrial level for its greater population. Today Japan remains at the cutting edge of technology in its brewing practices. However, the traditional methods of handcrafted, artisanal saké remain alive in smaller and often family-owned breweries. Many of these showcase local ingredients and focus on microclimates to make what is known as ‘jizake,’ or regional saké.