Benten Musume, a tiny little Kura1 tucked away in the mountain forests of Wakasa town in Tottori prefecture Japan. This small family outfit is dedicated to making good, traditional, “Shoku-chū shu2”.
Benten musume is owned and run by the Ohta Family. The family all pitch in to help make Saké in the winter and are out in the fields growing rice in the summer!! Whenever I visit Benten musume, the whole family welcomes me with big smiles. It’s great to see the love and dedication they have for each other, and their work. I think it shows in the Benten musume Saké.
Just as the Ohta family work together to make beautiful Saké, Benten musume works with food to create a divine harmony at the everyday dinner table. She is definitely not an ostentatious, flashy "prima donna" but like the wrinkles in the smile of an old craftsman, she has an inner beauty that worms our heart. I believe it’s this quality of Benten musume that makes it such a good match for food.
Benten Musume only uses rice grown in Wakasa town. Wakasa is surrounded by beautiful mountains with thick green forests, and is blessed with crystal clear water and excellent rice fields. The Benten Musume Junmai Ginjo Tamasakae has taken some of the best Saké rice of Japan combined with a lot of hardwork and love of the Ohta family to create a saké that exudes earthy goodness. I can taste the simple wholesome goodness of nature in this Saké, a real "slow food" saké.
Colour: golden, like the rice fields at harvest time.
Room Temp: Starts out bright, with that distinct woodiness in the body that reminds me of the kōji room. Slight bitterness at the end with a nice dry finish, good kiré.
Nuru Kan 40˚c: Brings out the rich acidity.
燗冷まし Kan zamashi3: By far the best way to enjoy Benten Musume. This is where you start to experience the complexity of flavours. The top is a lush acidity supported by a body of Tamasakae umami. The beautiful aroma of the age-old cedar of the Kura, mixed with the nutty, woody magic of the Kōji room. Enjoy the natural goodness from the forests and streams of Wakasa.
Matching: Bentenmusume Junmai Ginjo Tamasakae was featured at the Good Food & Wine Show Cheese matching masterclass with an exquisite Buffalo Mozzarella by That’s Amore. I loved the "That's Amoré Buffalo Mozzarella" with the Benten Musume Junmai Ginjo I think it creates a great "East meets West" moment!!
Storage: Please store your Benten musume in a dark place. Or wrap your Benten musume in something like newspaper to prevent any light getting through. Light is the one thing that can damage your Saké. A Saké maker once told me that, for Sakés like Benten musume, it’s best to open the bottle once then close it and leave it for a week. If you can’t wait that long, then just open it once and shake it around. After you open a bottle of Benten musume it will keep for at least 3 months. In fact it will develop and improve over the first 6 months and then settle. Aging adds another dimension to your enjoyment of Saké, and for those who possess the necessary will power, Benten musume is a great Saké for aging.
1. Kura: The traditional workshops where Saké, Shōchū, Shōyu (soy sauce), vinegar, miso are made. 2. Shoku-chū shu: Literally Saké during a meal. Saké that is meant to be enjoyed with a meal. 3. Kan zamashi: Heat the Saké to 55~60˚c then let it cool down to around 40~45.
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