The highest-end sake is referred to as “junmai
daiginjo-shu” (no alcohol added) and “daiginjo-shu” (alcohol added). They are
subclasses of “junmai ginjo-shu” (no alcohol added) and “ginjo-shu” (alcohol
added). Ginjo sake uses rice polished down to 60 percent, while the daiginjo
rice is polished down to 50 percent. All four types represent only 6 percent of
total sake production. The lowest end premium sake is known as “junmai-shu” (no
alcohol added) and “honjozo-shu” (alcohol added). Premium sake only accounts
for about 20 percent of all sake produced,” notes Gaunter. Eighty percent of all
other sake is called “futsuu-shu,” in effect, the table wine of the sake world.
Sake can also be found aged, unpasteurized or unfiltered. Aging sake produces a
darker, earthier brew, an acquired taste.
Sake classifications can be
compared to wine ranking systems, such as those for grand cru Burgundy or
first-growth Bordeaux. Top-ranked sake and wine are pricier and tend to be more
valued by connoisseurs, but they do not necessarily represent the best value.
And as is true with wine, preference for a lower-ranked premium sake ought to be
a matter of taste. Consider the wine industry in California, which operates
under no formal ranking system established by the government or winemakers: One
may prefer Littorai to Peter Michael chardonnay without violating any cultural
precept. Until very recently it has been almost impossible to taste a range
of sake in the United States. Now, however, at restaurants such as Uni, Ozumo
and White Lotus, you can enjoy many different sakes by the glass and, over time,
develop a palate.
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