NV Iwate Meijo Oshu No Ryu The Dragon of Oshu Junmai Daiginjo Iwate 750 ml

When Manager Andrew Elder poured us a glass of the rare Iwate Meijo Oshu No Ryu Junmai Daiginjo at Jônt, the MICHELIN two-star restaurant in Washington, DC, he told us we were in for a treat.

There, alongside hay-smoked bonito with cucumber and nectarine, we reveled in the sublime aromas and exceptional silkiness of the bottle, which brought the food to life. It was a perfect pairing, taking the dish to heights that wouldn’t have been possible with a white wine.

Sake’s ability to pair with nearly anything is one of the best-kept secrets out there. Fish is an obvious choice, but the umami created in sake's brewing allows it to match much heartier fare—and it produces a delicate sweetness too. We even know one sake expert who loves to pair it with pizza.

“The world of sake can be daunting” Andrew noted, “but once you know how to navigate and translate the terminology it’s quite simple to find one to enjoy.” This sake is a junmai, meaning there’s no added alcohol, and daiginjo, which indicates that over half of each grain of rice was polished away before brewing—creating exceptional purity and delicacy in the final product.

The brewery uses only Yu no Kaori rice, grown nearby in Oshu City, for this Oshu No Ryu (Dragon of Oshu). It’s locally famous for elegance and sophistication, and the perfect raw material for Iwate Meijo's most special bottle.