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[Special article] Shinshu sake talks about terroir
Nagano Prefecture has been nurturing a rich and diverse culture because it is long north -south and has been separated by mountains in mountains.
The same is true for sake, and although it reflects the effects of local climate and terrain, it is scattered throughout the prefecture, which are high -quality liquor, and the number is second in the country. A wide variety of sake that is close to local food and culture is brewed.
Beside such local sake, there were rice in the land and rich water, and there were people's activities.
The raw material of sake is simple with water, rice, and rice koji, so it is important for good sake breweries and high -quality raw materials for good sake brewing. Nagano Prefecture is blessed with water that can be said to be the life of sake brewing, such as the melting water from the mountains in each region, and is characterized by many breweries that make sake in local rice. In the past, sake rice was transferred from outside the prefecture, but since the early Showa era, sake rice suitable for the cool climate and climate of Nagano has been developed, and the digging of the value of sake rice born in Nagano Prefecture has truly fruitful. Before Corona's evil, the first year (2019) has grown until the production volume of 3rd place in Japan *.
* Source: Agricultural product inspection results (production volume) of rice suitable rice (production volume) and Productions estimation produced in two years (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
"Miyama Nishiki", which has grown into Japan's leading sake rice
Tagiri Agricultural Product CEO Tsutomu Murasaki
In Nagano Prefecture, various sake rice, such as "Kinmon Nishiki", "Shirakaba Nishiki", and "Hitogo", have been developed in 1944. "Miyama Nishiki", which was distributed in 1975, has grown to the third largest production volume in Japan after "Yamada Nishiki" and "5 million stone". Because it is a variety that is resistant to the cold, it is grown in the Tohoku region, mainly in Nagano Prefecture, and many sake breweries are brewed with "Miyama Nishiki" in the prefecture.
Mr. Tsutomu Murasaki Shiba of Tagiri Agriculture Co., Ltd.
Miyama Nishiki has a small core white and has a high rice polishing, so the scent is modest and has a low habit, and it is characterized by a transparent and sharp sake. In addition to the enthusiastic fans called "Miyama Nist", the "Miyama Nishiki" section is also established in the internationally authoritative sake contest "Kura Master2021" in France, and its existence is beyond Japan. It has come to be done.
"Miyama Nishiki is a variety that has a slightly shorter growth period than Koshihikari, etc., and is grown at a slightly higher altitude in Inayani, taking advantage of the cold characteristics.
It was Tsutomu Murasaki Shiba, the representative director of Tagiri Agricultural Co., Ltd.
Tagiri Agricultural Product is a village farming corporation established with more than 250 residents in the Iijima -machi Tagiri district in Inaya, Nagano Prefecture, and is based on "permanent agriculture" and "environmentally friendly agriculture". In addition to producing and selling rice, wheat, soybeans, buckwheat, vegetables, etc., we are developing various activities such as the production and sales of materials necessary for agriculture, entrusting agricultural work, and operating direct sales offices.
The Kamiina region, which is located in Iijima -cho, is also known as one of the most common sake rice in the prefecture, and 144 has in this area, 24 % of the 612 ha in the sake rice prefecture in 2021 (2021). 。
If you ask why sake rice production is thriving in Inaya
"Intani's rice fields are characterized by an altitude difference of 450-800m. Even if you make a uniformly Koshihikari in such an environment, it is difficult for good things to grow at high altitude, so you can respond to the altitude. Murasaki Shiba is promoting cultivation of different varieties, and in areas where the altitude is high and the temperature difference is severe, it has become active, such as Miyama Nishiki.
In addition, Nagano Prefecture can produce high quality rice compared to other prefectures because the temperature does not stay in the 28-30 -degree temperature zone where illness is likely to occur. In particular, the area around the Tagiri area of Iijima -cho is at an altitude of about 750m, 22-3 degrees in the morning, about 32 degrees in the daytime, and the temperature difference between day and night is good.
Tagiri Agricultural Production values the relationship with the sake brewery, and every time he has the opportunity to meet Tori, he listens to the impressions of rice and make use of it in production.
"We have not used any chemical fertilizers for about 20 years, and the use of pesticides is growing at one -half of the prefecture's standards. There were few producers who were raising alcohol rice with organic or reduced pesticides, but this was also a challenge from the sake brewery that "I can't make such rice". I would like to continue to take care of such a dialogue with the sake brewery.
"I think the basic rice made in the local area is to make sake with water pumped there. When I talk to the sake brewery in Nagano Prefecture, it is from Nagano Prefecture, including Miyama Nishiki. I think that there are many warehouses who value the basic parts of brewing the water with the water that springs into the warehouse. Thanks to this, we can make a lot of rice, and we want to convey the goodness of prefectural sake rice, including the sake brewery, including the land, climate, and history that make sake rice. "
In Nagano Prefecture, there are many sake breweries in Nagano who have a strong desire to say that alcohol is a co -work of farmers and sake brewery, but the producers of sake rice are the same.
New variety of promising "Yamae Nishiki" born in Nagano Prefecture
Takahashi Associate Sake Brewery 5th generation Kuniyoshi Takahashi
Aiming for the new Nagano prefecture's original sake rice comparable to the "Yamada Nishiki", which is called the king of sake rice "Sankei Nishiki" has been created over a long time. It has the advantages of sake rice such as "Miyama Nishiki" and "Yamada Nishiki", and is characterized by a good balance of Ajika, and is finished in a smooth sake.
The variety registration application has been announced, and as it is possible to exhibit and sell it to the sake of sake from 2018 (2018), "Yamae Nishiki". In addition to the gold prize at the National New Sake Appraisal, the sake brewed in the National Sake Appraisal, and in the SAKE section of the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2021, an international wine contest to be held in London, the Suwa Gosuru Tsuru Kazuru Izumi " "Ochikaku Tsuru Junmai Ginjo (Yamae Nishiki)" stands at the top of the total number of 1499 brands and won the crown of the champion salmon. It is a new variety that has made a vivid and gorgeous debut. The number of sake breweries that make sake in Yamae Nishiki is increasing year by year, and about 40 sake breweries, which are nearly half of the prefecture, are producing sake from the prefecture.
"By the time of the spread of this variety, the quality of sake rice seems to be good among new liquor rice varieties raised by the Nagano Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station, just suitable for the climate of Shinanomachi, and is resistant to cold and illness. So, I asked the farmers to grow them and started the challenge of making sake with a new sake rice.
What I taught me was Kuniyoshi Takahashi, the fifth generation of "Takahashi Assassination Sake Brewery", which was founded in 1875 in Shinano -cho, northern Nagano Prefecture.
Sake of local spring water and raw rice is brewed with sake, and it is a few that we continued to participate in the test brewing of "545" (later "Yamae Nishiki"), which is not known whether it will be spread. It is a sake brewery. In 2018, when sake brewed in Yamae Nishiki became possible, "Junmai Daiginjo", which uses 100 % of Yamae Nishiki, "Junmai Daiginjo", "Kanto Shinetsu National Taxation Bureau". "Exhibited at each appraisal of" Nagano Prefecture ". It is a sake brewery that first won the high quality of the Yamae Nishiki, including winning the "Gold Award", "Excellent Award", and "Governor Award".
"Sake rice is famous for sake rice, but in Nagano Prefecture, the climate conditions do not match and cultivation is difficult. Especially" cold "is a major problem. The restrictions and trials of how to overcome the constraints of Nagano's weather conditions, such as late frost, cold summer, and the region in late autumn, and how to create things that are as good as Yamada Nishiki in terms of rice in terms of rice. I think the sake rice born because of the fact is Yamae Nishiki, "said Takahashi.
About 30 years ago, Mr. Takahashi succeeded sake brewing at the time when the birth of a new yeast and ginjo brewing became popular. At that time, we worked on growing Daigin -kan, mainly Yamada Nishiki produced outside the prefecture, and accumulated technical know -how. As the next challenge, it was said that it would be difficult to win a prize at the appraisal unless it was "Daiginjo" using Yamada Nishiki, especially Miyama Nishiki, especially Miyama Nishiki. It used to build a high -quality sake "Junmai Daiginjo".
After trial and error, in 2008 (2008), Junmai Daiginjo, brewed in Nagano Prefecture's "Miyama Nishiki", won a gold prize at the "National New Sake Appraisal". However, due to the effects of climate change, we face the task of cultivating stable and high -quality sake rice, such as being hit by high -temperature disorders. At the beginning of the arrow, I thought that I had to do research on cultivation methods to overcome the effects of climate change with the cooperation of the farmers, but the timing of the start of the trial cultivation of Yamae Nishiki overlaps, and the evaluation is unknown. It seems that he took on the challenge of sake brewing in sake rice.
"Because there are large differences in various places in Nagano Prefecture, rice growing in the Shinano Town area and Hokushin area is resistant to climate change, and Nagano Prefecture may have a merit as a whole. Mr. Takahashi has been working on brewing in Yamae Nishiki, asking a local farmer from the thought of.
For the third consecutive year from FY2020, only the local Shinano -cho and the nearby Togakushi area are used, but by sticking to rice in a specific area, you can get a variety of sake rice that has a characteristic. It seems that raw material processing is easier and more high quality than using rice in the production area.
We value information exchange because the distance to the farm is short,
"While talking about the trends of rice and rice cultivation at that time, it may be difficult to drink alcohol even if the grade of sake rice is good, so what was the good alcohol, such as feedback on the results of sake brewing. I'm thinking with the farmers whether it is necessary, "said Takahashi.
Sake in Nagano Prefecture, where the blessings of nature such as local water and rice, and the trust between farmers and sake brewery are condensed. It can be said that it is a product that embodies the terroir in Nagano prefecture.
This article is information as of January 2023.
Please note that products handled are subject to change.
