Tsunan Brewing Co., Ltd. Achieves Double Win at the Kanto Shinetsu National Tax Agency's Sake Appraisal for the Second Consecutive Year

On November 8, 2023, the Kanto Shinetsu National Tax Agency announced the results of its annual Sake Appraisal, revealing a notable achievement for Tsunan Brewing Co., Ltd. The company’s flagship sake brands, “Tsunan” in the Ginjo-shu category and “Go” in the Junmai-shu category, both received Excellence Awards. This marks the second consecutive year of achieving double awards.

Tsunan Brewing Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, and led by CEO Atsushi Kabasawa, entered their premier brands “Tsunan” and “Go” in the Kanto Shinetsu National Tax Agency’s Sake Appraisal. Both brands excelled in their respective categories, Ginjo and Junmai, continuing the brewery’s tradition of excellence.

About the Kanto Shinetsu National Tax Agency’s Sake Appraisal

The appraisal is conducted in three categories, with entries from 189 breweries across six prefectures (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Niigata, and Nagano). The competition saw 135 entries in the Ginjo category, 162 in the Junmai Ginjo category, and 82 in the Junmai category. The awards included one Grand Prize, two Special Prizes, and 42 Excellence Awards for the Ginjo category, and similar numbers for the Junmai category.

The Kanto Shinetsu National Tax Agency’s Sake Appraisal, now in its 94th year, is a prestigious event aimed at promoting the advancement and development of brewing techniques, improving the quality of sake produced in the region, and contributing to the healthy growth of the sake industry.

Tsunan’s Flagship Sake “Tsunan”

The flagship brand “Tsunan” symbolizes coexistence with nature, using only local rice, water, and labor, and even features the Japanese serow on its label. The awarded Ginjo sake, “Tsunan Ai,” is known for its calm aroma and rich flavor, embodying the harmony of scent and taste. It’s made with locally sourced rice and koji from Tsunan, with a milling rate of 50%, and is available in 720ml and 1800ml bottles, priced at 1,600 yen (excluding tax) for the 720ml bottle. This product is exclusively sold in liquor stores and not available for online purchase.

The Innovative Brand “Go (郷)”

The “Go” series represents a new challenge in the sake industry, named after the various ‘Gos’ (regions) in Tsunan and symbolizing moving forward. The awarded Junmai sake, “Go VINO,” is noted for its fruity flavor with a pleasant acidity, reminiscent of white wine. Available in 720ml, 180ml, and 100ml bottles, the 720ml is exclusively sold overseas, while smaller sizes are available in supermarkets, outdoor shops, and souvenir stores. The 720ml bottle is priced at 1,600 yen (excluding tax).

Sustainable Brewing at Tsunan

Tsunan Brewing is unique as a brewery established with investment from local producers, JA, and Tsunan Town administration. The brewery is committed to sustainable practices, focusing on a circular economy, local optimization, and embracing diverse values. Their sake brewing, mostly during the snowy season from December to March, benefits from the natural refrigeration and purity provided by the snow.

They focus on using local “Gohyakumangoku” rice, suited for sake brewing due to the significant day-night temperature variations and the area’s renowned soft water from snowmelt.

Awards and Recognition

Tsunan Brewing’s products, known for their light yet rich flavor, have won several national and international awards, including the National New Sake Appraisal gold award and consecutive golds at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) and London Sake Challenge.

Tsunan Jozo is a sake brewery that aims to create sustainable sake in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, one of the snowiest regions in Japan, and is committed to ‘terroir sake’, which means sake brewed with local rice, water and local brewers.
https://tsunan-sake.com/

The award-winning GO Series is also introduced on the web page.
GO GRANDCLASS.
GO VINTAGE
GO DOLCE
https://tsunan-sake.com/go

Company profile.
Tsunan SAKE Brewery Co.ltd
7141 Tsunan-cho, Naka-uonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
CEO Atsushi Kabasawa
https://tsunan-sake.com