On hot summer days when it’s over 30°C, few things beat coming home after a long day, taking a shower, and enjoying a chilled sparkling drink—pure bliss! This featured sparkling sake combines the rice fragrance of sake with the tartness of umeshu (plum liqueur). It’s refreshing, never cloyingly sweet, and made using the “secondary in-bottle fermentation” technique for fine, silky bubbles—perfect for summer sipping.

While most sparkling drinks are simply carbonated by injecting CO₂, “secondary in-bottle fermentation” involves adding yeast to the base sake inside the bottle, so the natural fermentation produces the bubbles directly in the liquid. Although this process is more complex, it yields a smoother, more refined mouthfeel—typically found in high-end sparkling wines like Champagne.

Produced by Sennen Brewery in Nagano Prefecture, this sparkling sake is crafted by macerating local Shinshu green plums in their own sake, then performing in-bottle secondary fermentation for a smooth, fine carbonation. No sugar is added; the green plums are used just for their aroma, resulting in a low-sweetness profile that bridges the gap between sake and umeshu. That’s why the brewery named it “Green Plum Sparkling Sake,” not “Sparkling Umeshu”!

When opened, you’ll hear the signature “pop!” like Champagne. Pouring the pale yellow sake into a glass, the aroma is gentle: sweet rice cake notes with hints of green mango. The bubbles are plentiful and silky; sake flavors take center stage with a mild sweetness and gentle bitterness, evolving into a lingering sweet-sour plum note. The balance between sake and plum is superb, with a low sweetness level—making it ideal for pairing with food, even for those who dislike sugary drinks.

If you’re seeking a strong sparkling drink for food pairing, this bottle is an excellent choice.