Thanks to Trader Joe's you can try a very approachable, middle-ground premium sake for approximately $10. Some nice tasting notes from rateabeer. Their consensus: the sake is slightly floral, fruity and very drinkable. Sake is from the Oimatsu Shuzo Co. in Hita, Japan (on Japan's Southernmost island). The SMV (sake meter value) is +3 so medium dry and 45% of rice polished away.
If you look on the lower left hand corner of the label, you will find a date that indicates when the sake was bottled. (09.09 above) The one I served on Valentine's Day was bottled September 2009; you should try to drink sake within six months and definitely within the year. If it's over a year old, serve it slightly warmed. I paired it with a miso-marinated cod, grilled shrimp and teriyaki chicken.
