Sake review: Harushika "Tokimeki" sparkling sake

This was a remarkable find at the excellent one-star Michelin restaurant, Bushi-Tei, which bills itself as "French California fusion with a touch of Japanese accent" (and quite an accent it is, since the restaurant dates back to 1863 in SF's Japantown and the old wood used in the dining room was carefully     removed during the demolition of Nagano, Japan).  Our waitress did a nice job pairing the chef's omakase menu with wines from the list, and sensing our interest in adventurous wine-food pairings, she suggested the  Harushika "Tokimeki" sparkling sake with the fruit sorbet dessert.

It was my first experience with a sparkling sake, and it was quite pleasant -- in some ways, the first few sips reminded me of a refreshingly low-alcohol version of Squirt soda.  We came to learn that this sake is a nigori, which means unlike other sakes it is not filtered and still contains small rice particles which lend it a somewhat opaque, milky color.  Our waitress said it reminded her faintly of a Moscato d’Asti with some fruity and sweet flavors, but nicely balanced with good acidity.

Overall, a very refreshing sake that pairs naturally with fresh fruit but could serve quite capably as an aperitif due to its low alcohol (6-7%) and soft bubbles.  Highly recommended, if you can find it!