About the brewery : The Kameman Shuzo family brewery is a relatively recent venture, having only been founded in 1916 by Chinju Takeda, a young doctor and heir to a long dynasty of doctors in the Kumamoto region. The decision to create the brewery was the result of a rather bizarre set of circumstances. In fact, in this rural area, it was common practice for local farmers to pay in bags of rice, including for their medical consultations. So, every year, Dr Takeda saw the bags accumulate over the months without being able to consume them all. It was for this reason that he decided to set up the brewery, to transform the rice he received into sake !
However, there was another difficulty: Kumamoto prefecture is located in the extreme south-west of Japan. This is a temperate and sunny area, a climate that is not very conducive to making sake, which is traditionally done in the north of the country. Work on the yeasts was essential, and Dr Takeda's scientific knowledge was decisive in developing ferments capable of working in these latitudes. The gamble paid off, and Kameman Shuzo can now pride itself on being the southernmost sake brewery in Japan. It continues to work on the same basis as those developed by Dr Takeda in 1916, using only local rice and not refrigerating the vats.

Detailed tasting notes : The rice is used as is in production, with only the brown husk removed. It is grown using a special method known as "Aïgamo", an ancestral Chinese technique, which involves raising a colony of ducks in the rice field itself. These ducks grow and live in situ, feeding on insects and preventing the development of weeds. They naturally aerate the soil by foraging for food. The rice fields are therefore kept healthy by avoiding any human intervention. Rice can therefore be used in its 'Genmaï' form, a rare occurrence, and Kameman Genmaïshu is certainly one of the most successful in this microcosm. Golden in colour with coppery highlights, this sake has a woody nose, clearly reminiscent of honey, cereals and dried fruit. The palate is smooth and fruity, with lively notes of citrus fruit, apple and pear. A homogeneous, lively sake. Beautiful variations of fruit and acidity. Complex notes of honey and hay appear on a long finish, reminiscent of a straw wine.

Serving suggestions : Enjoy chilled, as an accompaniment to rich cuisine, with sweet and savoury variations, game, duck, fruit desserts, a pear tart for example.