Skip to main content

Review: Sparkling Sake Jyunmai "Sawa Sawa"


Sparkling Sake, Jyunmai Sawa Sawa.



Brewed by Choryo Shuzo.

A visit to Seattle is never complete for me without a stop at Uwajimaya. Conveniently located near Safeco Field and the freeway exit/entrance, I always shop there on my way in or out of the city. A Seattle landmark, Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. This month after Taste Washington Seattle, I popped in for some last minute shopping before heading home to Eastern Washington.

I tend to lose myself in Uwajimaya, my first stop is the Kinokuniya Bookstore which has a diverse selection of Japanese books, manga, toys, Hello Kity, calendars, t-shirts, music and DVDs. The main Uwajimaya store is stocked with Asian foods and beverages. The frozen Japanese soba noodles I purchased have turned out to be of excellent quality and make for a savory meal – firm and very slurpable. Of course I brought home humbows, sushi and a bottle of sake.

I was drawn to the little blue bottle of sparkling Jyunmai “Sawa Sawa”. I've been curious about sparkling sake, so I took a chance and packed it away with all my other goodies in the back of my little 5-door, perishables packed around frozen peas for the three hour drive home.

Sparkling Jyunmai Sawa Sawa

This is a sparkling Sake made of rice and rice koji. It has carbonic acid gas generated naturally by the bottle fermentation. It is brewed by Choryo Shuzo. Choryo Shuzo is located at Koryo-cho town in the north-west of Nara which is said to be the birthplace of Sake.

Per the photo at top, I paired this sake with an assortment of sushi from Uwajimaya. The Sawa Sawa was slightly cloudy, it had a Sake nose, smelling of rice wine, a bit tangy, it was a little sweet up front with gentle bubbles, smooth drinking, no obvious alcohol, almost citrus on the back and mid-palate, kind of creamy in the mouth. It was a good match to the sushi, salty soy sauce and the requisite heat from the Wasabi. Recommended.

ABV: 8-9%
I paid $9 for this 250ml bottle.
Brewed and bottled by Choryo Shuzo Co. Ltd. Osaka, Japan.
Imported by JFC International Inc. Los Angeles, CA.

Uwajimaya
600 5th Ave S
(between James St & Weller St)
Seattle, WA 98104
Neighborhood: International District
(206) 624-6248
www.uwajimaya.com

Related Post: Review: Sho Chiku Bai Unfiltered Sake

Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Three Albariños and Several Food Pairings | Taste Rías Baixas

As promised, more reviews of  Albariño wines from Rías Baixas.  My previous post ( My Favorite White Wines this Summer are from DO Rias Baixas ), I emphasized more traditional food pairings, grilled shrimp, Ceviche, and watermelon. This time, I wanted to try some different pairings to see how well Albariño wines would match. I love seafood, but I was curious about the flexibility of this variety. My test pairings began with a series of mini quiche I made at home, spinach, hamburger, tomato, dill and steak. Following are my tastings notes on the wines and the food pairing results. Results were mixed. Map of DO Rías Baixas and sub-zones. While twelve grape varieties are permitted in DO Rías Baixas, the white Albariño grape represents 96% of all plantings. Albariño refreshes as a drinking wine and appeals to diverse cuisine. Albariño from Galicia delivers for me on many levels. Bright acidity, refreshing citrus flavors and that compelling salinity which in...
Read more

2 Badger Mountain Organic NSA Red Wines Reviewed

Some of you prefer organic food, but have you tried organic wine? I had a great experience at a red wine tasting at Badger Mountain Organic Vineyard and Powers Winery. Mickey Dunne, winery Owner and Sales Director, was my host. I was delighted by the Badger Mountain Organic NSA wines. It all made perfect sense. Rejoice because these are top-notch wines, big on flavor and modest on price.
Read more

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine.  That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d...
Read more