Daishinsyu

Nagano

Located in Nagano, an area prized for air and water quality that are optimal for sake rice growing. The brewery is proud of their extreme precision in sake making and refusal to rely on technology - instead they depend on generations of intuition. Daishinsyu is one of the most coveted brands in Japan, particularly in the Tokyo region.

Yuho

Yuho is produced at the Mioya Brewery. Unapologetically unconventional, Yuho experiments with brewing components and techniques to produce sake that have a wild, gamey characteristic with pronounced acidity and remarkable texture. President Miho Fujita, a single career woman from Tokyo with no prior knowledge of sake, and Toji Yokomichi-san, who left his corporate job to pursue sake, do not follow traditional brewing methods—they brew the sake they enjoy drinking. Yuho means “happy rice” and also refers to the city’s supposed numerous UFO sightings. Miho-san believes her sake can stay open for longer than most – she personally likes to drink them after being open for 1-2 months.

Yamada Shoten

Made in an ultra-handcrafted and traditional style at Vine Connections’ smallest brewery (280 koku), the kanji on the label translates to “nothing has changed since the beginning.” Like their ancestors who did not have access to modern brewing technology, the Yamada family mills their own rice in-house (unheard of for such a small-production brewery), and they brew at ambient temperatures without heating or cooling controls.

Tozai

Tozai is the authentically Japanese sake that bridges the gap between East and West and is an invitation for all to enjoy Japanese sake. Tozai’s style is approachable for sake pros and novices alike, taking sake out of the “special occasion” category and making it an everyday drink. Each Tozai sake is a classic representation of its style and grade. Be transported to Japan just by looking at Tozai—the labels feature hand-painted koi fish, traditional Japanese kanji, and origami paper patterns.

Toko

The brewery was founded in 1597, making them one of the oldest active breweries in Japan. After the Kojima family became the exclusive purveyor of sake to the famous Uesugi samurai clan, the Kojima family became known as samurai royalty. Located in the Yonezawa region of Yamagata, a city known for its warrior legacy. Current president Kenichiro Kojima is the 24th generation of the legendary Kojima family.

Tentaka

Located in a region known for its pure rivers and natural beauty, Tentaka has created a sustainable microcosm to preserve and support future generations of sake. President Ozaki-san’s passion for the environment has led the brewery to use local ingredients, to reuse production byproducts, and to get Organic Certification in Japan, the US, and the European Union—one of only two breweries with triple certification. Brewed in a landlocked region, Tentaka sake is locally treasured with only a small amount of sake leaving the prefecture. It celebrates the local flavors of rustic, savory, and meaty foods by brewing rich sake with high acidity.

Tensei

Tensei is a multi-talented brewery defined by an entrepreneurial spirit, an international outlook, and a laid-back surfer atmosphere. The cultured and forward-thinking brewery has a hand in other enterprises as well, including a beer brewery, a Japanese restaurant, an Italian restaurant, a bakery, and an art gallery all on site. Tensei is inspired by Kanagawa’s beautiful coastline and surfer culture. The town is also the birth place of the famous Japanese woodblock art, The Great Wave.

Rihaku

Rihaku is named after the famous Chinese poet from the 8th century, Li Po, who was known to drink a big bottle of sake and write a hundred poems. Rihaku boasts one of the highest average milling rates of all Japanese sake breweries—a testament to its dedication to high quality. Each Rihaku sake in the portfolio is made with a different type of sake rice, demonstrating how the deliberate style of a producer can be expressed by four rice types.

Mantensei

Mantensei is produced at the Suwa Brewery. Mantensei creates elegant expressions of umami through sake that can be enjoyed at a wide variety of temperatures. Mantensei polishes its rice to 50% even though the sake is not a Daiginjo in order to create extreme drinkability alongside rich umami and savory notes—a rare balance. They use a higher-than-usual ratio of koji rice to bring out distinctive notes of smoke, honey, and soy.

Mana 1751

Mana 1751 was produced at Manatsuru Brewery. Manatsuru was established in 1751 and became legendary in 1998 when the current toji took over and won every gold medal in sight. This sake embraces a truly purist philosophy; undiluted, unfiltered, unblended, pure rice sake made in the risky and labor intensive ancient yamahai method. Toji Izumi-san is on a quest to push the envelope of sake's flavor, structure, and appeal as we know it today. He has been quoted as saying "It is more important to be the only one than to be number one." This is a true microbrewery; with three total employees making 200 koku annually (4,000 x 9L cases)

Ama No To

Konteki

Konteki is prodcued at the Higashiyama Brewery in Kyoto. Konteki’s culture centers around 15th century ideals of Zen Buddhism and purity in beauty. Kyoto is the birthplace of sake and is home to the local Fushimi Mizu, one of Japan’s most prized water sources of soft, pure water. Well-respected rice farmer Masayasu Tanaka grows rice for the brewery. He is famous for growing some of Japan’s best quality Yamada Nishiki rice, considered the pinnacle of premium sake rice.

Kojimaya

Kojimaya is produced at the Kojmia Sohonten Brewery founded in 1597, making them one of the oldest active breweries in Japan. After the Kojima family became the exclusive purveyor of sake to the famous Uesugi samurai clan, the Kojima family became known as samurai royalty. Located in the Yonezawa region of Yamagata, a city known for its warrior legacy. Current president Kenichiro Kojima is the 24th generation of the legendary Kojima family.

Kawatsuru

Known for its rice-driven style with elegant, rich texture, Kawatsuru pays respect to the crane that symbolizes longevity and good fortune. The brewery president recently promoted longtime female brewery employee, Miki Fujioka, to become the toji. Miki-san is married with two young children (almost unheard of in the sake industry). She is serious, soft-spoken, and incredibly hardworking. Her sake is characteristically round and feminine. 

Kanbara

Kanbara is made at the Kaetsi Brewery. Kaetsu brews powerful, big, bold sake from Japan’s most popular brewing region, Niigata, which is otherwise known for producing light, clean sake. Kanbara’s bold style comes from brewing sake that is muroka (not charcoal filtered). The husband and wife co-owners come from families with sake backgrounds and Toji Kenichiro-san has made sake for over 50 years, giving Kanbara a long history of talent and experience.