While in San Francisco recently, I was able to pay my first visit to True Saké, North America's first saké specialty store, located at 560 Hayes Street, phone: 415-355-9555. And I was mighty impressed.
Elegantly laid out, True Saké is about as user-friendly as I could ever imagine a saké store being, with tasting notes for almost every one of their more than 120 sakés, a refrigerated section for some, and prices that you don't have to hunt around to find. The proprietors even make food recommendations for many of the sakés they carry.
After spending about 20 minutes browsing, and being reminded of how very much I still need to learn about this wonderful drink, I selected a saké called Wandering Poet from Rihaku Shuzo of the Shinmane Prefecture of Japan, so named because the 8th century Chinese poet Li Po (whose name translates to 'Rihaku' in Japanese) was said to drink a bottle and write 100 poems.
International saké expert John Gauntner notes in his 'Saké Handbook' that Rihaku sakés, and indeed many of the sakés of Shinmane Prefecture, boast an unusual snap of subtle tartness which works to the beverage's benefit, and I'd have to say I agree. John also comments on this junmai ginjo's citrus-like fruitiness, although I was reminded more of yellow plum with a beautiful jolt of balancing acidity. We fall back into agreement on his observation that 'Wandering Poet' is a saké that is very versatile at the table, even though I also enjoyed it greatly as an aperitif.
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