WINE KOUBO SAKE Junmai
Wine yeast lends a sweet-sharp acidity, meeting rice umami in a dry-finishing Junmai.
A Junmai rooted in Sanuki Yoimai
WINE KOUBO SAKE Junmai starts from an unusual choice: wine yeast. Built on 100% Kagawa-grown Sanuki Yoimai rice polished to 70%, it layers the aroma and acid structure of white wine onto an otherwise rice-only junmai.
The sake received Vegan certification from Vege Project Japan in 2021, confirmed to use no animal-derived gelatin in fining. It is a bottle from a brewery steeped in Kotohira tradition, shaped for the modern table.
How it tastes
Apple and pear lead the nose. Bright acidity tightens the rice’s light sweetness before umami emerges mid-palate, and the finish turns crisp and dry without lingering sweetness.
Its character stays centred on rice, with a quiet balance carrying through to the finish.
Kotohira, Kagawa — local rice and local yeast
The Nishino family’s business dates to 1658, and full-scale sake brewing began in Kotohira in 1789 — the brewery’s two founding points. The name Kinryo comes from the Confucian scholar Rai San’yō, who likened Kotohira to Jinling, an ancient capital of China.
Since the Edo period, Kinryo has been served as the sacred sake, or omiki, of Kotohira-gu Shrine — a history the brewery carries forward today.
Nishino Kinryo in Kotohira, Kagawa makes sake that gives local ingredients a visible role. The two bottles here use Sanuki Yoimai rice; Setouchi Olive Sake adds yeast isolated from olives grown in Kagawa.
At the table
Its fruit-toned aroma and clear acid structure are built to pair with lighter dishes rather than heavier fare, with the sake’s sweet-edged acidity finding a natural match in citrus and herbs.
- Grilled fish
- Vegetable dishes
- Lightly seasoned poultry
- Thai dishes with herbs
Related products
Two Kagawa-led Junmai expressions: one rice-forward, one shaped by olive yeast.
Interested in listing WINE KOUBO SAKE Junmai at your restaurant or retail venue? Our team can provide information on availability, storage requirements and trade terms.
