The Story
Art Born from Shinshu’s Extreme Cold
Perched on the Saku-daira plateau at an elevation of 700 meters, Chikumanishiki Shuzo is cradled by the Mt. Asama and Yatsugatake ranges, with the legendary Chikuma River flowing through its heart. Here, the landscape itself acts as a massive, natural brewery. The frigid winter mornings—plunging to -10°C—are essential for cooling steamed rice and naturally suppressing bacteria. For Chikumanishiki, this extreme cold is a sacred gift, allowing for the slow, graceful fermentation required to craft Daiginjo with a pristine, elevated character unique to the Shinshu region.
The Sake
Extracting the Pure Potential of Shinshu’s Soil
The backbone of exceptional sake lies in the quality of the grain. Chikumanishiki primarily utilizes Nagano’s pride, "Miyama Nishiki"—a sake-specific rice known for its large grains and pronounced "Shinpaku" (starchy core). The brewery applies rigorous scrutiny to the raw grain, tailoring its precise polishing management to the specific characteristics of each harvest. By stripping away impurities and focusing on the pure starch heart, they ensure that every bottle captures a silky, multi-layered depth of rice flavor, reflecting the profound potential of the Shinshu soil.
The Sake
Four Ancestral Wells Honored by Santoka Taneda
Water is the lifeblood of sake, and Chikumanishiki manages four distinct wells—two shallow and two deep—to ensure a low-iron, mineral-balanced supply. This exceptional water captivated the legendary haiku poet and traveler Santoka Taneda in 1936, inspiring him to write: "Fragrant breeze; how wonderful is the water of the land of Shinano." A self-taught connoisseur of water, Santoka’s praise serves as the ultimate endorsement. This poetic, mineral-rich gift from nature is the secret behind the brewery’s crystalline clarity and the smooth, nectar-like finish that defines every glass.
From Chikumanishiki
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