Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/751131
THE ORIGINS of saké are unclear, although it is men- tioned several times in the Kojiki, Japan's first written history, which was compiled in 712 AD. KOJI—the mold that is used in the production of saké— penetrates a grain of rice, much like botrytis does with grapes, and creates enzymes that con- vert the starch in the rice to fermentable WINEMAKING is moderately successful in Japan, with documented evidence of vineyards dating back to 718 AD. This verdant, temperate 121 nation is as perfectly suited for production of saké, with a specific terroir of its own—the quality of the soil, the varieties of rice, the weather, the purity of the water, the cultural heritage that drives it—which is just as relevant a notion for saké as it is in most other countries for wine. The next time you embrace the delicate perfection of fine saké, remember the as- pects unique to this beautiful nation that are drawn from the earth to create the poetry in your glass. JAPAN JAPAN