Junmai Daiginjo Sake
Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake
Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake is a junmai daiginjo sake from Tatenokawa. It is made with rice polished to 50% and brewed from Soube Wase rice.
- Category
- Junmai Daiginjo
- Polishing ratio
- 50%
- Rice variety
- Soube Wase
- Yeast
- Yamagata KA
At a glance
- Producer
- Tatenokawa
- Category
- Junmai Daiginjo
- Polishing ratio
- 50%
- Rice variety
- Soube Wase
- Yeast
- Yamagata KA
- SMV (sake meter value)
- -1
What makes this bottle different
- Sake meter value of -1, a rough dryness indicator.
Key facts
Technical
- Acidity
- 1.6
- Amino-acid value
- 1.3
Dry or sweet?
Its sake meter value (SMV) is -1. A negative SMV tends toward the sweeter side — though perceived sweetness also depends on its acidity and serving temperature.
How it's made
As published, Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake is brewed with Soube Wase rice, polished to 50%, using Yamagata KA yeast. These are the producer-disclosed production details; steps that are not published are not shown.
Taste & aroma
The producer describes: “a deeply original blend of beautiful sweetness and soft acidity” (source)
How to drink it
The producer recommends: “chilled (around 5°C), at room temperature (15–25°C), gently warmed (around 40°C)” (source)
Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake — questions
- What is Tatenokawa SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo?
- It is a Junmai Daiginjo sake from Tatenokawa in Yamagata, Japan, brewed from 100% Soube Wase rice polished to 50% and bottled at 15% ABV. The producer describes a blend of beautiful sweetness and soft acidity.
- What is the Soube Wase rice used in this sake?
- The producer describes Soube Wase as a near-lost native rice variety of the Shonai region; Tatenokawa reacquired seed from the Yamagata Prefectural Agricultural Research Center and expanded planting to bring it back, then brewed this sake from it.
- How should Tatenokawa SHIELD be served?
- The producer indicates it can be enjoyed across temperatures — chilled at around 5°C, at room temperature (15–25°C), or gently warmed.
- What is the SMV (sake meter value)?
- Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake's smv (sake meter value) is -1.
- What yeast is used?
- Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake's yeast is Yamagata KA.
- What rice is used?
- Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake's rice variety is Soube Wase.
- What is the acidity?
- Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake's acidity is 1.6.
- What type/category of sake is this?
- Tatenokawa, SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake's category is Junmai Daiginjo.
How it compares with other Tatenokawa bottles
Exact-product differences from governed facts present on both bottles, plus flavour-node differences mapped separately from each producer tasting note. Missing facts are not inferred.
- Amino-acid value — this bottle
- 1.3
- Amino-acid value — comparison bottle
- 0.8
- Polishing ratio — this bottle
- 50%
- Polishing ratio — comparison bottle
- 18%
- Rice variety — this bottle
- Soube Wase
- Rice variety — comparison bottle
- Yuki Megami
- Acidity — this bottle
- 1.6
- Acidity — comparison bottle
- 1.4
SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake and Eighteen Junmai Daiginjo Sake differ on amino-acid value: 1.3 vs 0.8; polishing ratio: 50% vs 18%.
- Amino-acid value — this bottle
- 1.3
- Amino-acid value — comparison bottle
- 0.9
- Rice variety — this bottle
- Soube Wase
- Rice variety — comparison bottle
- Miyama Nishiki
- Yeast — this bottle
- Yamagata KA
- Yeast — comparison bottle
- K601
SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake and MUGA Platinum Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Nama Genshu Sake differ on amino-acid value: 1.3 vs 0.9; rice variety: Soube Wase vs Miyama Nishiki.
- Rice variety — this bottle
- Soube Wase
- Rice variety — comparison bottle
- Dewasansan
SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake and Phoenix Junmai Daiginjo Sake differ on rice variety: Soube Wase vs Dewasansan.
- Polishing ratio — this bottle
- 50%
- Polishing ratio — comparison bottle
- 45%
SHIELD Soube Wase Junmai Daiginjo Sake and Timeless Sake: Soube Wase differ on polishing ratio: 50% vs 45%.
Understanding these terms
General explanations of the terms above — these describe the concepts, not this specific bottle.
What does polishing ratio mean?
The polishing (or milling) ratio is the percentage of each rice grain that remains after polishing. A lower number means more of the grain's outer layer has been milled away — a general characteristic of premium categories, not a measure of a specific bottle's quality.
What is SMV?
SMV (sake meter value, nihonshu-do) is a general indicator of a sake's density relative to water. Positive values trend drier and negative values sweeter — but perception also depends on acidity and serving temperature.
What is acidity in sake?
Acidity (san-do) is a general measure of the organic acids in sake that shape its structure and balance; higher acidity often reads as firmer, lower as softer.
Style context — Junmai Daiginjo
WhatDrink style-level reference data for Junmai Daiginjo. These are typical relationships for the style, not measured facts about this exact bottle.
What Junmai Daiginjo means
Junmai Daiginjo is a specially designated sake made from rice and koji without added brewing alcohol, using rice polished to 50% or less of its original weight.
How Junmai Daiginjo is generally made
Junmai Daiginjo uses rice and koji, a rice polishing ratio of 50% or less, and ginjo-style low-temperature fermentation techniques associated with a characteristic fruity aroma.
Style-level production context only. The exact-product production section above takes precedence where available.
Food pairings for Junmai Daiginjo
- delicate seafood
General style pairing references — not a claim that this exact bottle was tested with these foods.
Glassware for Junmai Daiginjo
- Daiginjo glass
Style-level serving context, not a producer instruction for this bottle.
Style authority: JSS — sake label and designation guide · JSS — sake cups and vessels · JSS — seafood pairing guidance
Sources & provenance
- ProducerOfficial producer product pagePublished product specifications shown on this page.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-04.
Part of WhatDrink's Sake guide.