Masumi "Shiro" Sake Matinee

Miyasaka Brewing Company has been making sake in the alpine lake town of Suwa since 1662 — over 360 years of continuous production from the same family who, generations before, served as samurai to the lords of the Suwa region. The brewery takes its name from the Masumi mirror, an ancient national treasure enshrined at the nearby Suwa Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most sacred Shinto shrines. The name translates as "clarity" or "truth" — ideals that have guided the brewery's philosophy ever since. Masumi's place in sake history was cemented in 1946 when a naturally occurring yeast was discovered in one of the brewery's fermentation tanks, producing sake of extraordinary fragrance and elegance. Designated Brewing Association Yeast No. 7, it remains to this day the most widely used sake yeast in Japan, found in well over half of all breweries — a single discovery from one brewery in Nagano that quietly changed the entire industry.

Shiro — meaning "white" — is Masumi's "Sake Matinee," conceived as a lighter-bodied sake for those seeking something graceful enough to sip through an entire evening without fatigue. Brewed from a blend of Miyamanishiki and Yamadanishiki rice polished to 55%, and fermented with Masumi's proprietary descendant of the legendary No. 7 yeast, Shiro lands at just 12% ABV — notably lower than most premium sake. The nose is delicate and inviting: mild banana, apple, and white flowers. On the palate, gently sweet and brightened by a finely etched acidity, with a savory umami thread that keeps the sake anchored and food-friendly. The finish is clean, soft, and completely effortless. This is the bottle in the pack that will pair with nearly anything on the table — light seafood, salads, delicate preparations of all kinds — and will win over wine drinkers who have never given sake a serious chance.