Asparagus season at last! Sake and asparagus - a delicious combination
Apr 18, 2025
For asparagus fans, these are weeks of bliss: it's finally asparagus season again! Depending on the weather, this usually begins in mid-April and traditionally ends on June 24, St. John's Day. Whether white, green or purple - each variety is special and has its own taste. Fresh asparagus is delicious, low in calories and rich in valuable nutrients. It is used in a variety of ways in the kitchen - from classic dishes with hollandaise sauce to salads and creative asparagus variations, such as asparagus risotto or asparagus tempura.
Sake goes particularly well with asparagus. One of sake's strengths is its harmony with butter, cheese and creamy sauces. Sake generally contains little acidity, its umami notes optimally support the delicate aromas of the asparagus and balance out its bitterness.
We have four sake recommendations for you that go really well with asparagus.
The Mizutoriki Kura No Hana 44 Junmai Daiginjo Sake from Kakuboshi is a complex Junmai Daiginjo Sake with a polish of 44%. It scores with great fruity notes, a beautiful sweetness and a creamy texture. A fine umami taste and a full body round off this delicious sake. It is made using 100 percent local Kura no Hana rice. Only breweries from Miyagi Prefecture are allowed to use this rice variety.
Nohime No Sato Kakushi Ginjo is a Ginjo quality sake with a rice polish level of 60%. It is fruity and smooth and has a very elegant taste. Fermentation takes place over a long period at a low temperature. This sake is a great accompaniment to light dishes and should be enjoyed well chilled. It is produced in Aichi Prefecture. The region has a long tradition of sake brewing and has perfect climatic conditions for this.
Shitenno Choshun is a fine Daiginjo sake from the house of Kankyo Shuzo. Made with Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyogo with a polishing degree of 50%, this premium sake is fermented at low temperatures to produce an elegant taste with a fine grain, smooth texture and fruity aroma. The nose initially reveals airy nuances of sour cherry, pineapple and floral aromas, before a beautiful acidity and strong umami follow.
Jin Junmai from Manzairaku Sake Kura is a Junmai sake with a rice polish of 68%. It has a full body, an intense rice flavor and a mild acidity. This junmai is made with the extremely rare Hokuriku 12 rice variety, which only two breweries in the whole of Japan use. Jin Junmai comes from Ishikawa Prefecture, which is known for its high-quality sake. It impresses with great rice aromas and mineral, almost slightly bitter nuances.
