NV Katafune Junmai Genshu Niigata

Immaculate Grand Cru Saké from the Pure Snows of Niigata

Eduardo Dingler—our saké expert,certified saké professional, longtime judge, and former global beverage director for Morimoto Group—has come through with another massive hit for Wine Access saké lovers. Takeda, the brewery that produced this Katafune Junmai Genshu has achieved global acclaim, winning gold at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) in both 2013 and 2015. The quality of these bottles is such that older vintages like the 2004 Junmai Daiginjo saké, crafted by sixth-generation master Takeda, run for as much as $4,000 a bottle in the U.S.! Dingler has known the owner for years and was finally able to score a small allocation of the few cases that made it stateside. Seductive white flower aromas give way to layers of marzipan and pineapple, with bright, zippy acidity. Hailing from the finest prefecture in Japan. Offered at $32 per bottle—the best price in America.

“What most people don’t realize is that saké can taste a lot like wine,” Eduardo told me as he poured a taste of this creamy and elegant Katafune release over Omakase at Morimoto in Napa. “Some styles are rich and earthy, like Cabernet Sauvignon, while others deliver a fragrant and elegant style with a touch of sweetness similar to Riesling, or crisp and dry calling to mind Sauvignon Blanc,” he said.

With its lush layers, rich depth, and floral complexity, this bottle brings nothing to mind so much as a Puligny-Montrachet—fitting, as it hails from what is considered a Grand Cru of Japan. While other prefectures aim for volume, Niigata is focused solely on smaller production of exquisite bottles that are poured at the best restaurants around the world. One element, in particular, defines the production of Niigata sakés: snow. The region gets more snow than just about anywhere else in Japan, up to 30 feet in a year. The run-off helps cultivate pristine conditions for rice paddies, leading to greater purity in the sake rice; it makes for crystal-clear water for use in the process and leads to greater air purification—an important aspect for sake’s koji fermentation.

Takeda and his son, who will represent the seventh generation of the family business, own a small, homey brewery tucked away in the Niigata hills. Eduardo first met Takeda years ago when he was overseeing the beverage program for Morimoto restaurants worldwide and immediately became a fan of the Katafune style, visiting the brewery in 2017. There, Eduardo discovered the secret to Takeda’s award-winning success. He bottle-ages his sakés in Tobins (18-liter glass containers) stored at low temperatures anywhere from three months to several years at low temperatures, allowing them to knit together seamlessly, showing full integration and dazzling expressivity.

While many Niigata sakés are characterized by a crisp, dry style, this Katafune is full-bodied, rich and elegant—an immaculate release from the snow-covered hills of Japan’s Grand Cru.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Sweetness
• Acidity

• ABV 17.00%
• Enjoy right away
• Drink Up
• % Sake
• Serving temperature – 50°
• Screw cap