Japanese sake has never been more popular outside of Japan than it is today. Many of us in Europe, North America, and elsewhere slept on sake for a long time, but now it seems that people around the world have finally woken up to this sophisticated and complex alcoholic drink. And as premium Japanese sake from authentic brewer SAKENOVA is now available through ZenMarket, in this article we take a closer look at some of SAKENOVA’s innovative sake products and discover just how easy it has become to order them from abroad.
The Increasingly Global Allure of Japanese Sake
Japanese sake offers a uniquely clean and refreshing taste. And it goes well with an exceedingly wide range of foods and occasions. Clearly, then, sake’s new-found success abroad should come as no surprise.
Along with increasing interest in Japanese cuisine and culture more generally, global demand for Japanese sake has grown significantly in recent years. Now connoisseurs of fine foods and beverages around the world have discovered the joy of Japan’s uniquely delicious fermented rice drink. As a result, exports of sake are today worth several times what they were even just 10 or 15 years ago. In fact, the popularity and awareness of Japanese sake has increased so much that there’s now even a World Sake Day!
Japanese sake has been around for a very long time, though; giving brewers plenty of opportunity to perfect the art. Consequently, there are many types of sake, with all the subtlety and nuance that we find in fine wines. From fruity to refreshing; rich sweetness to more delicate or mellow tones. There’s a Japanese sake to suit every taste and occasion.
The challenges of Ordering Japanese Sake from an Online Shop
While exports of Japanese sake have continued to break records in recent years, products from many of the finer and more interesting sake brewers are still only available in Japan. Meanwhile, finding a high quality and trusted online Japanese sake shop can often prove to be a bit of a chore. Especially if you don’t live in Japan or speak Japanese!
No worries, though; in this article we introduce premium Japanese sake brewer SAKENOVA and their modern and sophisticated sake offerings. We also explain how you can easily order SAKENOVA’s innovative sake products via ZenMarket and have them delivered right to your doorsteep – wherever in the world you might live. Problem solved!
SAKENOVA - An online Japanese Sake Shop for True Connoisseurs
SAKENOVA came into being when founder Daichi Niiyama moved to the Japanese city of Niigita and was astonished by the unusually delicious sake he found there. Soon after, he began gaining first hand experience of Japanese sake production by working in local breweries. But while Niiyama San was in awe of the traditional knowledge passed down to him, he felt that there was still room for innovation in sake production.
Just as many of Europe’s finest beers are brewed by monks in monasteries, there is a long history of Japanese sake being made in Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines - a tradition that continues today. Indeed, rows of large sake jars are a common feature at many of Japan’s traditional religious sites. Clearly then, sake is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. And as with most Japanese traditions, there are many rules to be respected.
Nonetheless, rapid industrialization post WWII lead to numerous changes in sake production. Sadly though, not all of these changes were for the better. Thankfully the trend more recently has been for sake manufacturers to return to many of the older methods, as the benefits offered to both flavor and health by producing in the traditional manner have become more apparent.
The fact is that innovation can be achieved while also continuing to respect time-tested methods. And this is where SAKENOVA comes in. SAKENOVA aims to be a new light in Japanese sake; striving for innovation and excellence while honoring and building upon the living tradition of authentic sake production. SAKENOVA is dedicated to creating a modern and reinvigorated sake while raising the drink’s profile so that it can be enjoyed by a new generation of drinkers around the world.
Like wine, fine Japanese sake is often aged in wood for many years, with the microorganisms contained in the wood creating complex flavors during the fermentation process. Similarly, the water used in sake production is also highly important to the final result. Above all, though, it is the rice used for brewing, and the methods employed in its preparation, that determine the final result.
Rice used specifically for Japanese sake is called sakamai (酒米) – literally meaning “sake rice” – and there are now well over 100 varieties of Japanese rice that have been bred solely for this purpose.
The degree to which rice is polished before brewing also has a very significant influence on the final outcome in terms of flavor. For their premium Japanese sake, SAKENOVA use large-grain Hitachi Nishiki rice from Ibaraki prefecture, polishing it to an exceptionally high degree. This results in an incredibly clean yet complex flavor. Meanwhile the company employs stringent quality controls throughout the process; covering everything from the basic natural ingredients to brewing temperatures. The result is a highly refined and elegant product for sophisticated drinkers.
To give you a better idea of what’s available from SAKENOVA’s online Japanese sake shop, here we give a brief rundown of our three favorite SAKENOVA offerings.
Kojo is SAKENOVA’s flagship product, employing signature large-grain rice from Ibaraki prefecture – polished for around 720 hours – along with a special strain of yeast developed in the company’s own labs. The result is a drink that is satisfyingly crystalline when seen against the light, offering an exceptionally mellow umami flavor and the sweet aroma of apples. A subtle hint of bitterness emerges in the aftertaste to complement the initial sweetness.
This is a sake to keep chilled until the last moment. Serve at around 5-10 degrees centigrade. Combine with white fish, chicken, salads and citrus.
While we might more readily associate sparkling luxury alcoholic beverages with certain regions of France and Italy, the fact is that Japan has its own fine bubbly offerings, too. And SAKENOVA’s Seiren is undoubtedly among the finest. Seiren exudes an aroma reminiscent of green apples and muscat gapes. As you take your first sip, a fine foam fizzes across the tongue like the gentle breaking of waves. Transparent with sparkling bubbles, this sake offers a soft attack, characterized by subtly sweet flavors and an invigorating tartness. And if you’re looking for a special item for an important celebration, Seiren is likely to “pop” on opening – like a bottle of champagne!
For greatest enjoyment, serve Seiren at 6 degrees centigrade in a wine or champagne glass. It’s ideal as an accompaniment for raw oysters or other seafoods, or combine with salads and mild cheeses.
SAKENOVA 2023 first entices drinkers with a gentle and elegant bouquet. Soon after, taste buds are greeted by a soft sweetness that gradually shifts to pleasing acidity as the initial impact fades. Once again, this is made from SAKENOVA’s signature large-grain Hitachi Nishiki rice and is carefully stored at a controlled temperature before being shipped directly from the brewery.
SAKENOVA 2023 is best drunk from a wine glass chilled to between 5 and 10 degrees centigrade. Pair it with white fish, chicken and other light and refreshing dishes.
How to Buy Sake from SAKENOVA via ZenMarket
Have we piqued your interest in SAKENOVA’s authentic Japanese sake products? Great! But unfortunately SAKENOVA don’t offer overseas shipping.
Fear not, though, as this is precisely where ZenMarket comes in; helping you to purchase from Japanese stores that will not ship directly abroad. In this section we explain exactly how to get your hands on SAKENOVA’s premium Japanese sake via ZenMarket’s easy to use interface.
Just follow these simple steps to order fine Japanese sake from SAKENOVA:
- Firstly, head on over to ZenMarket and sign up for a free account.
- Once you’re all set up, choose the item you want to order on SAKENOVA’s website and click the ZenMarket banner; the product will be automatically added to your ZenMarket shopping cart and you’ll be redirected to the ZenMarket site.
- Now we’ll check price and availability for you.
- Meanwhile, use our secure payments system to add enough funds to your account to cover the initial purchase and domestic shipping.
- Following this, the items will be sent to our warehouse in Japan, where we’ll weigh them and let you know the cost of international shipping.
- We’ll then send you an invoice for the final amount.
- And next thing you know the parcel will be winging its way to you.
Easy!
For a more detailed breakdown of the ZenMarket ordering process, check out this handy blog article.
Conclusion
Steeped in the traditions of Japanese sake brewing, but with one eye sharply focussed on the future, SAKENOVA is an authentic sake brand for our times. Offering an excellent quality product that comes packaged in sophisticated design, SAKENOVA’s range of premium Japanese sake is an obvious choice for epicureans the world over. Interest in sake is growing rapidly in the USA, Canada, and Australia in particular, though, and SAKENOVA’s commitment to both innovation and traditionally-informed excellence will likely have strong appeal for sophisticated drinkers in these countries.
Until recently, SAKENOVA was one of Japanese sake’s best kept secrets. And getting hold of the brand’s products was nigh on impossible outside of Japan. With ZenMarket, however, ordering premium quality Japanese sake from SAKENOVA just became simple.
Interested in finding out more about what SAKENOVA has to offer? Head on over to ZenMarket and explore SAKENOVA’s selection of fine Japanese sake for yourself!