NV Omurasaki Uka Dry Junmai Daiginjo Fukushima 750 ml

We heard whisperings about Uka Dry more than four years ago, and we thought we might have to go to Japan to taste this incredible sake. We weren't sure we'd ever be able to find Uka Dry in the United States—let alone get the honor of launching the world debut here on Wine Access. 

We've never experienced a sake like the polished, refined Omurasaki Uka Dry Junmai Daiginjo. It’s the Opus One of sake: the product of a collaboration between two iconic families, and a bottle that showcases their generations of expertise in a crisp, mineral-laden, and endlessly complex cuvée. 

This Junmai Daiginjo from the award-winning Fukushima prefecture is a uniquely fragrant, full-bodied yet delicate sake of the highest order. Wild florals, fresh peach, and crisp apple aromas emanate from the glass, before orchard and stone fruit cascade across the palate. Reminiscent of Grand Cru Chablis in body, Uka Dry is weighty and powerful, without ever being heavy. Clean mineral undertones drive the finish, closing out this novel bottling with notes of crushed limestone and chalk. 

The raw materials behind this incredible sake are equal parts American and Japanese: Organic Kokuho Rose rice from California’s Koda Farms is transformed into sake by the 19th-generation team at Ninki Shuzo, in the heart of Japan’s prized Fukushima prefecture.

The story of this singular sake begins with Keisaburo Koda, a Fukushima native who immigrated to the United States more than a century ago, and eventually began cultivating rice in the San Joaquin Valley. Convinced that California offered ideal terroir for fine rice cultivation, he dedicated his life to elevating rice strains like Kokuho Rose. Today, this unique rice variety gives Uka Dry its one-of-a-kind aromatics and silken texture. 

In Fukushima, the Ninki Shuzo clan has been using the pristine waters of Mount Adatara to brew crystalline and expressive sakes for several centuries. These pure, unadulterated waters—which originate from snowfall and filter naturally through underground aquifers for 40 years before reaching the brewery—are responsible for countless award-winning sakes. This prized water, aided by Ninki Shuzo’s proprietary yeast strain, lends Uka Dry its incredible minerality and focus. 

Combining the Koda and Ninki Shuzo legacies, Uka Dry is a dazzling bottling. Since its official founding four years ago, sake fans in Japan and all over the world have been abuzz about this special partnership. Knowing the reputation of both parties, we were instantly intrigued—and the final result blew past our expectations. 

We hope you'll join us in experiencing this soon-to-be-legendary partnership.