Uka Sake with California Organic Rice
Uka is the Japanese word for emergence. The miracle of the butterfly is the birth of an elegant, ethereal, winged creature after transformation from an earthbound caterpillar. Uka sake begins with the family-farmed, meticulously cultivated rice and becomes a uniquely fragrant, full-bodied but delicate sake—a true delight for the palate.
Respect and care at every step from beginning to end results in Uka sake. Beginning with its dormant life within, the rice seed is planted and nourished to blossom and mature into fields of golden grain. The rice is diligently monitored for harvest at the proper moment, with the goal of producing the best quality rice for sake. At the brewery, centuries of passed-down experience, craft knowledge, and brewing style coalesce with the rice to create a sake unlike any other.
Koda Farms® cultivates the rice that is transformed into Uka sake. Founder, Keisaburo Koda, emigrated to the United States from Fukushima, Japan in the 1910’s. He established a rice farm and mill in the San Joaquin Valley where his family has grown rice for more than 90 years. His mission, to deliver the highest quality rice to his customers, is continued today. Quality is controlled from seed to store shelf.
It seemed only natural to complete the circle and rekindle the bonds with Keisaburo’s place of origin in Japan. Collaboration with Ninki Shuzō, the widely acclaimed sake brewery in the world-renowned sake region of Nihonmatsu Fukushima, resulted in the idea of transforming Koda Farms’® rice into Uka sake.
Ninki Shuzō, with 19 generations of sake brewing masters, expertly crafts water, rice, yeast, and kōji mold into sake. Water of the highest quality demanded by brewmasters is supplied from nearby Mount Adatara, where snowfall begins its journey of being filtered in underground aquifers for 40 years until it finally reaches Ninki Shuzō.
Koda Farms’® rice is ultra-polished and milled at 40% of its original brown rice weight to make junmai daiginjō at the extreme end of the high-quality spectrum.
Uka’s logo is inspired by the Sumi-e style of Japanese ink painting, and Uka’s butterfly image is simultaneously bold and graceful. Stylized maps of Fukushima and California are depicted on the butterfly’s lower wings. The maps represent the strengthening relationship between the USA and Japan and a reminder that we still can learn much from each other.
Uka Black Label Organic Junmai Daiginjo
- Brewery
- Ninki Shuzo
- Region
- Fukushima Japan
- Rice Brand Name
- Koda Farms® Heirloom Organic Kokuhō Rose®
- Rice Milling Ratio
- 40% [ 60% is milled away ]
- Alcohol
- 16%
- Sake Meter Value
- +1.4
Clear, day-bright nectar with aromas of strawberry, pineapple, and a whisper of anise. Full-bodied, balanced, and fruity with a hint of honey. A silky, luscious texture and a long finish.
English
Uka Dry Organic Junmai Daiginjo
- Brewery
- Ninki Shuzo
- Region
- Fukushima Japan
- Rice Brand Name
- Koda Farms® Heirloom Organic Kokuhō Rose®
- Rice Milling Ratio
- 40% [ 60% is milled away ]
- Alcohol
- 16%
- Sake Meter Value
- +7.4
Pleasantly intense aromas of green apple, pear, and hints of anise. Smooth, dry, and light entry with honeysuckle, mineral notes, and a long finish -- a delicious sake that beckons food.
Uka Sparkling Sake Organic Junmai Daiginjo
- Brewery
- Ninki Shuzo
- Region
- Fukushima Japan
- Rice Brand Name
- Koda Farms® Heirloom Organic Kokuhō Rose®
- Rice Milling Ratio
- 40% [ 60% is milled away ]
- Alcohol
- 7%
- Sake Meter Value
- -28
Dreamlike mist in a glass graced with aromas of white flower, pear, and anise. Silky texture with a citrus fruitiness heightened by a delicate effervescence.
