Mizubasho Pure Sparkling

Mizubasho Pure Sparkling is a fully bottle-fermented sake made using traditional brewing methods and Yamada Nishiki rice. Development took nearly a decade. The main challenge lay in bottling the sake while fermentation was still active, then refining techniques to remove sediment completely without sacrificing finesse. After hundreds of trials, the current style was achieved in 2008, producing a clear sparkling sake with fine, stable bubbles and no residual cloudiness.

In the glass, it shows a pale, slightly milky veil with a muted grey-gold tone. The aroma is open and inviting rather than overt, moving between lightly tart fruit and florals. Banana, plum and citrus come through first, then jasmine, sakura and a light cereal note. The bubbles are soft and delicate rather than sharp. Freshness leads the palate, with yellow apple, banana and coconut supported by clean acidity. The finish is lightly saline, adding lift and length.

There is a clear umami presence, subtle but appetising, which helps the sake sit comfortably at the table rather than behaving like a novelty aperitif. Pairings suggested by the brewery include raw oysters, cured ham and caviar, while chefs have found it works well at the opening of a course menu, where its texture and restraint do not overwhelm food. Since its release, the sake has appeared on restaurant lists in Europe and other regions, including high-end dining venues. It has earned several international awards in sparkling sake categories. It is also made without animal-derived fining agents and carries vegan certification, a rarity in sake. Overall, it comes across as precise but understated, designed to work naturally with food rather than to stand alone.

Awards:

• Kura Master 2020 – Sake Sparkling Category: Platinum Award and Jury Prize
• Fine Sake Awards Award 2019 – Sparkling Sake Category: Gold Award
• International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2018 – Sparkling Category: Bronze Award
• International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2016 – Sparkling Category: Bronze Award

Nagai Sake Brewery was founded in 1898 by Nagai Shōji (永井庄治) in the village of Kawaba (川場村). It uses the natural water of Mount Hotaka (武尊山) filtered through the earth of Oze, which intertwines and fuses in Kawaba. In 1992, the brewery launched its leading brand, "Mizubashō". The Mizubashō warehouse was completed in 1994 to produce ginjō with a thorough focus on quality. In 2008, Mizubashō Pure, a sparkling sake made by a secondary fermentation process in the bottle, was born. The international and domestic production and product patents obtained show the development of sake using the traditional Champagne production method. Vintage Sake is a new concept of sake, which is not old sake but new sake with a taste that can only be achieved by adding the passage of time. Mizubashō Pure is positioned as a sparkling sake, followed by conventional branded sake (Junmai Ginjō and Junmai Daiginjō from Mizubashō and Tanigawadake) as still sake. This is followed by vintage and dessert sake, launched in February 2014, laying out the Nagai style the brewery aimed for.