Takeda Shuzo has been brewing sake in the snow-heavy town of Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture since 1866, and ninth-generation brewer Masanori Takeda continues the family craft under the Katafune label. Unusually for Niigata, which is known for dry, clean sake, Katafune is round and rich with a sweetness that sets it apart from regional norms. The brand won the International Wine Challenge Trophy in the Japanese Sake category in both 2013 and 2015, and each bottle is individually warmed in a hot-water bath, a hand process called binkanhiire, to ensure stability.
