Niigata Sake Selections website by SENA New York, inc.

FOCUS:
The “terroir” of Niigata is snow-based.

The reason that the Prefecture of Niigata produces the finest sake in the world can be summed up in one word-snow.

It is about the snow.
There are areas in the mountains of Niigata that receive over 30 feet of snowfall a year. This precipitous climate impacts the quality of the sake in three distinct ways.

The snow melts and the run-off water creates great, pristine rice paddies in which to grow the sake rice. This creates one of the most pure environments in the world for the growing of sake rice.

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Introduction

Premium sake from Japan has been steadily gaining its popularity among American consumers. The import value increased at an annual rate of 13-21% for the last several years. The future demand is expected to grow at a faster rate because of the recent media coverage including the New York Times, CNN and Wine Spectator as well as an increasing number of non-Japanese high-end restaurants offering premium sake on their menu. Meanwhile, no importers or distributors have paid much attention to appellation or difference of sake by region as they do for wine. Thus, when consumers choose sake on or off-premise, they have no clue except price unless they are lucky enough to have advice from sake experts.

Niigata Sake Selections was set up in 2004 to bring the concept of regionality for sake for the first time into the US by importing premium sake only from “Niigata” [nee- gut-ah] prefecture, which is renowned in Japan as the best area for growing rice and fermenting sake.

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Speak like a Japanese?

"Kakurei Daiginjo"

"The authentic way of pronouncing sake brand names."

We've got the best names in Sake.And here's how to pronounce them.

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Kuramoto

KURAMOTO

"Niigata sake selections" KURAMOTO list

Aoki Shuzo	Hakuryu Shuzo	Ichishima Shuzo	kiminoi Shuzo
Kinshihai Shuzo	Kirinzan Shuzo	Matsunoi Shuzojo	Midorikawa Shuzo
Minogawa Shuzo	Musashino Shuzo	Obata Shuzo

Kuramoto, kura and sakagura, all meaning sake producer, can be used interchangeably.Each word has other meanings, such as Kuramoto - the owner of a sake producer, Kura, warehouse, Sakagura - sake cellar.
(Photo: 1890's)

Niigata Sake Selections represents the above eleven producers in the US as of May 2008.
The word “Shuzo” (or rarely Shuzojo), meaning sake producer, is used as part of producer name. Not used independently.

Premium Sake List

Hakuryu
"WhiteDragon"