We started of the new year a little late, but in style with a succulent dinner, good friends, and some bubbly. Yes, there was some sparkling wine in the fridge, but also one of our favorite nihonshu. Last week I picked up a bottle of Gangi Junmaiginjo Kassei Nigori Nama Genshu to put aside for a little work celebration next weekend, but when Et-chan saw it, she said “Oh! We have to have that with dinner on Saturday! OK?” It didn’t seem like a good idea to refuse, so I’ll be heading back to Naitoh Shoten to pick up another bottle, but in the meantime, I’ll share this one with everyone.
Gangi junmaiginjo Kassei Nigori Nama Genshu
In a moment of calm before people arrived and dinner got started, I tried to get a decent picture of the bottle. If you look closely, it has a little keitai strap charm hanging around the neck. It reads 噴き出し注意 or “Caution! Spouting!”. When I bought this, the staff at the store were careful to warn me and I did need a towel to catch some of the overflow. The little warning charm will probably go on my keychain or phone soon.
We all enjoyed the light taste and fresh lively aroma. A few murmurs of “calpis” spread around the table. There is something of that culture to the taste of this sake, but since it is “kassei nigori” or living/active nigori, the similarity to an active culture yogurt isn’t unexpected. The yeast is still active in there, but it’s good! The light bubbles liven up this very light nigori and keep it drier than some-an excellent alternative to champagne.
Stuffed chicken legs in the pan
Et-chan labored to bone these drumsticks and keep the skin together for a nicely wrapped, moist, and deeply flavorful stuffed chicken.
Served with rich mushroom and cream sauce pasta
UPDATE: Chanterelle, porcini, Morel, oyster, shiitake, maitake, chanterelle, and just a tiny bit or porcini mushrrom; then blue cheese, cream, sherry and white wine went in the pasta sauce. the deep umami of the mushrooms was so good.
A happy dinner guest holds up the bottle for me
Below is a slideshow of some photographs from our visit to the kura almost two years ago. Ever since, Gangi has been one of my steady favorites. Good thing I have a steady source right down the street.
Links
Previously: Sake of the Week #026: Gangi Hiya Oroshi kicks off fall
Yaoshin Shuzo-Brewers of Gangi
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Dear, the main mushroom was morel, then, oyster mushroom, shiitake, maitake, Chanterelle, and just a tiny bit or porcini, so umagi glore!
Do you ever take any pictures of me when I am NOT wearing that pink fleece?
OK, I’ll bite. Give us the technical difference between sparkling and kassei nigori. I haven’t loved sparkling sake, so far, but is the kassei a different bubble quality, taste, technique?
OK, you caught me doing some lazy writing. I didn’t really (and when I say really, I mean “at all”) explain the kassei of the sparkling.
Basically three things here: kassei, nigori, and sparkling.
In reverse order, the sparkle can be the same as in wines–just carbonation from secondary fermentation in the bottle. But, that yeast doesn’t have to still be alive in the bottle–champagne. Also I think the Dassai you just blogged is carbonated, but was it still alive?
The nigori is just nigori right?
The kassei (活性) I think just means that it is still totally nama and that the yeast are still alive in there. Active cultures, just like yogurt.
I’m sure Et-chan will correct me if I am wrong
Have you experienced a difference in taste/sensation of the bubbles between sparkling and kassei? I’m going to ride this hobby horse until we fall off.
I knew I still hadn’t gotten to the heart of the matter–taste. I have to say that I just don’t have a sharp enough sense memory to compare without them side by side. Next time I’ll get a clear sparkling sake, a sparkling nigori, and a kasei sparkling nigori. Then, I think to really get down to it, I’d need a doburoku too. It’s probably been close to a year since I had any sparkling.
The first word after the first taste was “calpis” so I’ll stick with that. Is the kassei more yogurty-active-cultury? I think so.
What does that mean to the taste experience? More acidity if I recall correctly and maybe more of a substantial mouthfeel (and thus less of the effervescent bubble).
Actually, I think those answers are all in retrospect and running off my image of all of those still fully functioning yeast. Will need to do a comparison tasting.
[Please note the reCatcha for this comment is "Answered debauch" Psychic!]
@Et-chan, I have duly noted your fungi correction. There is nothing I can do about the constant appearance of the fleece until we get you a new one.
Sparkling発泡酒 and kassei活性酒 are same thing, I thought. Isn’t one of those the industry does not have standardized term?
Te-chan, you are right. sparkling=carbonated
kassei=yest is still alive
So, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.
Jocelyn,
So, next tasting theme: sparkling vs. kassei nihonshu? Good one.