世界で最も著名なワイン評論家、ロバート・パーカーJr氏(RP)は、1998年、ワインアドヴォケイト誌119号にて、48本の日本酒の評価を行いました。ここでは、そこでパーカーポイント90点以上を獲得した13本の日本酒を紹介します。入手困難なものや、すでに廃業してしまった蔵元もありますが、日本酒選びの一つの参考にしてください。尚、アルコール度数についてはワインアドヴォケイト誌に記載されている通りに記載しています。また、現在の蔵元の情報とは異なるものがありますのでご了承ください。

【91点】小鼓 路上有花 純米大吟醸 葵／西山酒造

【価格：￥5,400(720ml)～】

• 地域：兵庫県丹波市
• 生産者：西山酒造
• 精米歩合：50％
• 度数：17.5％
• RPコメント：One of the most extraordinarily packaged of the Sakes, this offering was presented in a gorgeous blue bottle with a cork. The nose offers up ripe pear and honeyed notes with creamy rice scents in the background. Ripe, with copious quantities of fruit, full body, astonishing glycerin, and an off-dry, clean, pure personality, this is a superb Sake.

【91点】東薫 叶 大吟醸／東薫酒造

【価格：￥3,800(720ml)～】

• 地域：千葉県香取市
• 生産者：東薫酒造
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：17％
• RPコメント：Another Sake with complex aromatics, this full-bodied, viscous effort exhibited intensely spicy, fruitcake, floral, honeyed melon/mango notes in its nose. Creamy-textured, rich, dense, powerful, and elegant, it is an exceptional Sake.

【91点】神亀 純米 槽口(ふなくち)／神亀酒造

【価格：￥2,365(720ml)～】

• 地域：埼玉県蓮田市
• 生産者：神亀酒造
• 精米歩合：40％
• 度数：17.8％
• RPコメント：This was a very seductive, sexy Sake. Although one of the less expensive offerings, it was an extraordinarily complex Sake with a broad, expansive nose of shitake mushrooms, lees, roasted nuts, smoky notes, an unfiltered look, and fat, full-bodied, superbly rich flavors that lasted close to 30 seconds. This is a hedonistic, blockbuster Sake.

【91点】歓びの泉 大吟醸／中田酒造

【価格：￥？】

• 地域：岡山県倉敷市
• 生産者：中田酒造
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：17％
• RPコメント：A powerful Sake, this offering reveals peach and apricot aromas similar to those found in Spain’s Albarino and France’s Condrieu. However, it is far more powerful, unctuous, and alcoholic than any dry table wine. Thick, succulent, fresh, and pure, with knock-out levels of glycerin and depth, this is a big, bold, massive Sake. Superb!

【90点】渡舟 純米大吟醸／府中誉

【価格：￥5,246(720ml)～】

• 地域：茨木県石岡市
• 生産者：府中誉
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：16.5％
• RPコメント：A feminine-styled Sake, with a multi-layered yet subtle personality, this pale-colored offering revealed loads of fruit, and came across as refined, graceful, and distinctive. More understated than many, it is from the finesse school of Sake makers.

【90点】世界の花 大吟醸／石橋酒造

【価格：￥？】

• 地域：島根県出雲市
• 生産者：石橋酒造
• 精米歩合：43％
• 度数：16％
• RPコメント：An intriguing, Provencal-like nose of lavender intermixed with honey and herbs characterizes this medium to full-bodied Sake’s complex aromatics. In the mouth, it is rich, with superb freshness, excellent definition, and an off-dry, long, deep finish.

【90点】多満自慢 大吟醸 原酒 しずく取り／石川酒造

【価格：￥10,800(720ml)～】

• 地域：東京都多摩市
• 生産者：石川酒造
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：17.5％
• RPコメント：This producer made two cuvees of Sake, one aged in new French oak casks. That offering was oaky and ambitious, but atypical and not to my liking. This offering was powerful, concentrated, and full-bodied with scents of honey, licorice, and petroleum-like notes intermixed with smoke and floral scents. Viscous, thick, and alcoholic, this is a massive Sake.

【90点】くどき上手 大吟醸／亀の井酒造

【価格：￥4,190(720ml)～】

• 地域：山形県鶴岡市
• 生産者：亀の井酒造
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：16.8％
• RPコメント：Knock-out aromatics of lychee nuts, pears, and flowers created a special bouquet. This is one of the more delineated, well-focused Sakes, with medium to full body, a layered, richly fruity (oodles and oodles) personality, and a clean, fresh finish with low acidity and exceptional purity. Although not large-scaled, it is defined and elegant.

【90点】菊秀 大吟醸 蔵／橘倉商店

【価格：￥3,888(720ml)～】

• 地域：長野県佐久市
• 生産者：橘倉商店
• 精米歩合：39％
• 度数：16％
• RPコメント：This is a powerful, full-bodied Sake with considerable viscosity, and a thick, juicy, spicy, full-bodied, dry finish. It is a mouth-filling, generous example.

【90点】薫長 大吟醸／クンチョウ酒造

【価格：￥3,638(720ml)～】

• 地域：長野県佐久市
• 生産者：橘倉商店
• 精米歩合：35％
• 度数：17.5％
• RPコメント：Offering pear, lychee nut, and floral scents, full body, focused, layered flavors, and gobs of fruit (i.e., creamy rice flavors), this is a long, luscious, unctuously-textured Sake.

【90点】田酒 純米大吟醸／西田酒造

【価格：￥12,000(720ml)～】

• 地域：青森県青森市
• 生産者：西田酒造
• 精米歩合：40％
• 度数：17％
• RPコメント：

【90点】大吟醸 月下獨酌／李白酒造

【価格：￥4,190(720ml)～】

• 地域：島根県松江市
• 生産者：李白酒造
• 精米歩合：38％
• 度数：15.8％
• RPコメント：Dense, full-bodied, and fresh, this Sake reveals intriguing notes of smoke and cherries in the nose. Soft and off-dry in terms of sweetness, it was packed with glycerin, moderately high alcohol, and a luscious, layered, deep, powerful finish, which was in complete harmony.

【90点】郷乃譽 生もと 純米大吟醸／須藤本家

【価格：￥3,695(720ml)～】

• 地域：茨城県笠間市
• 生産者：須藤本家
• 精米歩合：40％
• 度数：15.4％
• RPコメント：Exhibiting an original, distinctive style compared to other Sakes, this rice wine revealed a fragrant, terroir-driven, petrol-like nose intermixed with licorice, floral scents, honey and smoke. I suspect it is controversial among Sake tasters, but it had a white Burgundy-like roasted hazelnut, creamy richness, good viscosity, and full body and thickness in the off-dry finish.