Review: Sparkling Sake Jyunmai "Sawa Sawa"

Sparkling Sake, Jyunmai Sawa Sawa.

Brewed by Choryo Shuzo.

A visit to Seattle is never complete for me without a stop at Uwajimaya. Conveniently located near Safeco Field and the freeway exit/entrance, I always shop there on my way in or out of the city. A Seattle landmark, Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. This month after Taste Washington Seattle, I popped in for some last minute shopping before heading home to Eastern Washington.

I tend to lose myself in Uwajimaya, my first stop is the Kinokuniya Bookstore which has a diverse selection of Japanese books, manga, toys, Hello Kity, calendars, t-shirts, music and DVDs. The main Uwajimaya store is stocked with Asian foods and beverages. The frozen Japanese soba noodles I purchased have turned out to be of excellent quality and make for a savory meal – firm and very slurpable. Of course I brought home humbows, sushi and a bottle of sake.

I was drawn to the little blue bottle of sparkling Jyunmai “Sawa Sawa”. I've been curious about sparkling sake, so I took a chance and packed it away with all my other goodies in the back of my little 5-door, perishables packed around frozen peas for the three hour drive home.

Sparkling Jyunmai Sawa Sawa

This is a sparkling Sake made of rice and rice koji. It has carbonic acid gas generated naturally by the bottle fermentation. It is brewed by Choryo Shuzo. Choryo Shuzo is located at Koryo-cho town in the north-west of Nara which is said to be the birthplace of Sake.

Per the photo at top, I paired this sake with an assortment of sushi from Uwajimaya. The Sawa Sawa was slightly cloudy, it had a Sake nose, smelling of rice wine, a bit tangy, it was a little sweet up front with gentle bubbles, smooth drinking, no obvious alcohol, almost citrus on the back and mid-palate, kind of creamy in the mouth. It was a good match to the sushi, salty soy sauce and the requisite heat from the Wasabi. Recommended.

ABV: 8-9%
I paid $9 for this 250ml bottle.
Brewed and bottled by Choryo Shuzo Co. Ltd. Osaka, Japan.
Imported by JFC International Inc. Los Angeles, CA.

Uwajimaya
600 5th Ave S
(between James St & Weller St)
Seattle, WA 98104
Neighborhood: International District
(206) 624-6248
www.uwajimaya.com

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