Yoshimura Hideo Shoten "Kurumazaka" Kimoto Junmai Wakayama Sake (720ml)

Founded in 1915 in Wakayama, Yoshimura Hideo Shoten is home to master brewer Akiko Fujita, a protégé of the celebrated Naohiko Noguchi and an advocate of traditional sake-making methods. The brewery’s Kurumazaka range takes its name from the historic pilgrimage road beside its home in Iwade. For this junmai, Fujita uses the labor-intensive kimoto method to develop the fermentation starter, allowing lactic acid bacteria to establish themselves naturally. The sake is made with Ishikawa-grown Gohyakumangoku rice polished to 65%, yellow koji, yeast No. 1401 and water from the Kinokawa River. After fermentation, it is pressed in a Yabuta, filtered through cloth and pasteurized. Bottled at 16.6% ABV, it reflects Fujita’s focus on texture and the savory character of rice.