Spot the fruity sake – a wine lover’s guide

Having grown up in an Asian household, I love that rich umami and moreish, savoury depth found in soy sauce, fermented tofu, miso and seaweed broth, as well as the comforting aromas of freshly steamed rice – and I absolutely enjoy these flavours when I find them in sake.

Sometimes, however, these qualities can be a bit of a hurdle when I try preaching sake to my wine-loving friends – for some of them, past experiences might have shown them the more savoury, bitter and richly ‘ricey’ side of sake, which they found alien and hard to understand.

But do not fear – as I tell them – there is also a floral, fruity and elegantly mellow side of sake that can be easily embraced by wine lovers. You just need to know how to pick.

The magic percentage – the secret behind rice polishing ratio

Broadly speaking, sake rice tends to have a larger grain than typical short-grain Japanese table rice – like the sushi rice found in supermarkets – although there are also sakes made using table rice. Many varieties can also develop an opaque, starchy heart called the ‘Shinpaku’ within the otherwise translucent grain.

The outer layers contain more proteins, fats and minerals, which can ultimately contribute to sake’s richer, more savoury flavours. Therefore, technically, the more you polish off the outer layers and get closer to that starchy core, the more likely the sake is to show a clean, delicate, fruity and floral style.

And the polishing ratio, or ‘Seimaibuai’, describes just how much of the rice is left after the polishing process.

For sushi rice found in supermarkets, the polishing ratio may only need to reach 90% (10% of the brown rice is polished off). But for ultra-premium sake, that ratio can drop below 10% – yes, that’s over 90% of the rice polished off, leaving only the purest starchy core.

One thing to stress is that higher polishing ratios by no means indicate inferior quality – it’s very much a stylistic choice. But if what you are looking for is refreshing, fragrant fruit, a lower polishing ratio can be one of the key indicators.

You can usually find the polishing ratio on the label, while the kanji characters ‘吟醸’ (Ginjo – 60% polishing ratio and below) and ‘大吟醸’ (Daiginjo – 50% polishing ratio and below) directly hint at the percentage.

Mind you that if the label has the word ‘Junmai 純米’ attached to either of these two terms, that means the sake is made purely from rice, without additional alcohol – let’s talk about that next.

For the lift – the magic of added alcohol (‘Aruten’)

I know what you’re thinking but no, we’re definitely not in similar territory to fortified wine and no, added alcohol isn’t necessarily associated with boosting strength or cutting costs in sake making. In fact, for premium sake, added alcohol can be an important stylistic option.

Not a huge amount, but just a gentle dash of alcohol (for quality sake, or Tokutei Meishoshu, the amount added is limited to 10% or less of the weight of polished rice used) generally helps to release and enhance the more volatile floral, fruity aromas in sake.

I find that these alcohol-added, or ‘Aruten’, styles of sake, especially when combined with a low polishing ratio, tend to yield sakes with a limpid, ethereal feel, with floral qualities and some herbal freshness that reminds me of bamboo leaves, pine needles and green tea.

Try out a Ginjo or a Daiginjo (the absence of the word ‘Junmai 純米’ subtly hints at the alcohol-added style on the label) and see if you agree.

More apple and banana – the secret in the yeasts

To further geek things out (just a bit), there are specific modern yeasts that help to boost fruity aromas – especially apple (usually associated with a chemical compound called ethyl caproate) and banana (isoamyl acetate).

If you ever go to a sake tasting, you might hear brewers talking about the yeast strains they are using – sometimes they may specify a number, which usually refer to ‘Kyokai yeast’ (yeast strains distributed by the Brewing Society of Japan).

Without getting too much into the science, just take a mental note that, similar to wine, some of these yeast strains can encourage the production of aromatic esters that give us those pretty aromas. Cerulenin-resistant yeasts, for example, have been developed to boost ethyl caproate and therefore those lovely apple-like aromas.

Cooler fermentation temperatures, just as when making white wines, also help to preserve and retain those fruity esters.

If you can get hold of the spec sheet when shopping, look out for aromatic yeast strains such as Kyokai No.1801 (K-1801), as well as regional strains such as Alps Yeast (developed by Nagano Prefecture). Not to say that other yeast strains can’t produce beautifully aromatic sakes, but at least these give you some hints when you can’t try before you buy.

Kimoto and Yamahai – approach with caution

Sakes made using the traditional, labour-intensive fermentation starters, namely the Kimoto 生酛 or Yamahai 山廃 methods, have a devoted following among sake lovers – myself included, but this can be more adventurous territory for beginners.

Generally speaking, these styles tend to have higher acidity (in sake terms) and a more pronounced savoury character, and can lean towards richer, earthier, lactic and sometimes even cheesy flavours.

I have no doubt wine lovers can handle that subtle acidity, but those complex, accentuated savoury flavours can be rather impactful – so if you see ‘Kimoto 生酛’ or ‘Yamahai 山廃’ on the label, even if they come with ‘Ginjo’ or ‘Daiginjo’ at the same time, make sure you try before buying.

The myths: sweetness, ‘nama’ and rice variety

The sweetness of sake is often indicated by the SMV, or Nihonshudo. Counterintuitively, an SMV reading in the minus zone indicates a sweeter sake, while the further the reading moves into the ‘+’ zone, the drier the sake tends to be.

But drier doesn’t mean fruitier or higher in acidity for sake. At the same level of sweetness, a sake can be rich in yogurty acid and cheesy savouriness, or elegant and floral, singing with delicate fruit – we simply can’t tell from the SMV alone.

Another myth will be the ‘nama 生 (literally ‘raw’)’ category – these unpasteurised sake – usually served chilled – can be vibrant and fruity, yet it can also be rich, cereal-like and powerful.

Finally, rice varieties (those fascinating names like Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Dewasansan…) don’t tend to influence the flavours of sake in the same way as grape varieties do in wine – and I think you already know why by the end of this piece: polishing, water softness and the meticulously detailed choices made during the production process tend to have a more significant impact on the style of the final sake.

That said, the intrinsic qualities of the rice – such as the size of its grain and starchy core, and how easily it dissolves in the fermentation mash – can indirectly influence the final flavours.

If you’d like to try out your tasting skills here, find a sake made using Yamada Nishiki and another made using Gohyakumangoku, with similar polishing ratios and production methods, and see if you can tell the difference in texture and breadth of mouthfeel – just like evaluating the body of a wine… Well, let’s leave that for another day, and kanpai for now!

Spot the fruity sake – eight to try

Shichiken, Furin Bizan Junmai

七賢「風凛美山」純米

Polishing ratio at 70%, Alc 15%

Green apple, pineapple and banana peel on the nose. Lovely richness and melon roundness on the palate, garnished with yoghurt and cream.

£24.95 at Ministry of Drinks

Shichiken, Junmai Ginjo

七賢「天鵞絨の味」純米吟醸

Polishing ratio at 60%, Alc 15%

Made using Yume Sansui rice. Elegant white fruits and green apples on the nose. A polished palate with a pinch of spice and hints of red berry. Velvety creaminess throughout, leading to a savoury finish.

£28.5 at N.D.John

Zaku Miyabi no Tomo

作「雅乃智」

Polishing ratio at 50%, Alc 15%

A bright, pretty nose of citrus pith and banana bread. Rounded and limpid on the palate with white peach and honeydew melon. More depth of steamed rice lead to a clean finish.

£43 at Mai Sake

Gekkeikan, Horin Junmai Daiginjo

月桂冠「鳳麟」純米大吟醸

Polishing ratio at 50%, Alc 16%

A brilliantly fragrant nose of citrus, golden apple and freshly peeled banana. More banana porridge and green melon on a soft, creamy palate, lifted by gentle acidity and finishing clean.

£15 for 300ml at Japan Centre

Akashi-Tai, Daiginjo Genshu

明石鯛大吟醸原酒

Polishing ratio at 38%, Alc 17%

‘Genshu’ means the sake hasn’t been diluted with water. Green melon, fresh lime and a gentle hint of bamboo. Crisp and slightly peppery on the palate with elevating acidity, but the finish is mellow and sweet.

£42.50 at Master of Malt

*Also try Akashi-Tai’s Junmai Daiginjo Genshu for comparison:

£26.95 at Lea & Sandeman

Tamagawa, Galapagos Oneness Junmai Daiginjo

玉川酒造「ガラパゴス ONENESS」純米大吟醸

Polishing ratio at 50%, Alc 16%

Aged under snow, the newly released Junmai Daiginjo features a perfumed nose of mango, sliced green apple and green melon, backed by rice pudding. Lovely acidity on a peppery palate, with a crisp finish.

Yoshinogawa, Seiryubi Junmai Ginjo

吉乃川「清流美」純米吟醸

Polishing ratio at 60%, Alc 15%

Crafted using Gohyakumangoku rice in Niigata Prefecture, it gives a gentle and elegant nose of green apple and star fruit. Crisp and linear on a dry, savoury palate, finishing clean and short – true to the regional style.

Tenzan, Shichida Junmai Daiginjo

天山酒造「七田」純米大吟醸

Polishing ratio at 45%, Alc 16%

Perfumed white blossom, lychee and yoghurt on the nose. A mellow, silky palate of sour cream, melon and zesty freshness, with a savoury undertone. Extremely food-friendly.

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