Koshitanrei
越淡麗
Definisi
A premium sake rice variety bred in Niigata Prefecture, released in 2004 after 15 years of development. Created by crossing Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku, Koshitanrei combines the former's large shinpaku with the latter's cold tolerance.
Mendalam
Koshitanrei was Niigata's answer to its reliance on imported Yamada Nishiki for daiginjo production. By breeding a rice that could be grown locally while achieving daiginjo-class polishing ratios, Niigata created a true terroir product. Koshitanrei has a well-developed shinpaku, tolerates polishing to 35-40%, and suits Niigata's cold climate. Sake from Koshitanrei tends to have the clean, dry character of Gohyakumangoku with added depth and complexity from its Yamada Nishiki parentage. Leading Niigata breweries including Hakkaisan and Asahi Shuzo (Kubota) showcase Koshitanrei in their premium lines.