miteyak 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 What'sup Frenchies? For years I stood by the French wine market, mainly for snob reasons perhaps, but after a string of very disappointing bottles (our local offie has little else) I do declare I've been well and truely put off. Yen fa yen, it consistantly provides an inconsistant, poor excuse for a wine, especially compared to New World wines. Yes, I know, if you pay upwards of 5,000 yen they get a little better, but that's a bit steep for a tipple after work now isn't it? Hate to say it, but Australia and New Zealand provide a refreshing consistancy in their wines, and have well and truely kicked French butt. Please, can anyone help salvage the French wine cause with some good wine suggestions, or should I just give up to the forces down under! Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 When the French decided to blow up some South Pacific island, I stopped buying their wine and thereupon discovered other countries' wine to be good if not better. But there are some regions of France that seem to produce consistent full bodied rich tasting reds. Pretty much anything from the Languedoc region is good. Cotes du Ventoux is reliable. How much do you drink at one sitting miteyak? Do you 'Do the whole ****ing village' as they say in Full Metal Jacket, or do you try to limit yourself to a certain fraction of the bottle? I always try to stop at half, except maybe on Fridays, but's it's always a real struggle. But in Osaka there are wine shops all over! What are you talking about, your 'local offie'! Fie. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 You can find a drinkable New World wine here in Osaka from 800 yen up. If I see a Euro wine for anything under 1500 it would be reasonable to assume I'd be better off drinking Meths. Actually just polishing off a 1000 yen Cab Sav from Chile-little rough around the edges but definately drinkable. Old World= Old Hat & overpriced a lot of the time. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Author Share Posted October 26, 2002 Used to have a good selection, but not where I am now. The local is all French. Don't have time to go far, 'cept on weekends. Usually half at a time, weekends can be a coupla villages. Actaully, have found Nagano supers to have one of the best wine selections around! Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Author Share Posted October 26, 2002 I'm with you there, Davo. More of a Oz/NZ fan meself. The NZ blends can be great 2~3,000 yen bottles. Oz for 1~2,000. What to get tonight... when I finally leave this place of work! Link to post Share on other sites
Heniz-Sponge-Pudding 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 Any semi-decent wine'll do me! Link to post Share on other sites
Lama 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 did a bit of wine tasting in france myself earlier this year..... found an region between Beaune and Dijon called cote d'0r. they have some pretty killer whites. bought a few bottles back with me.... or course they have vanished now.... wasnt diciplined enough to cellar. of course we were buying them out of the caves for anywhere up to 20 euro they did get much dearer than that..... but it was like pouring silk down your throat!!! also like a beaujoulais too, a classic light red.... but there are some nasties out there! unforunately it is very difficult to come accross foreign wine here in oz... mainly because they cant compete with price (import duties) and i think that aussies are just so used to the taste of their vino's...... euro wines tending to be quite light in taste (just like their beer). Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 I holidayed a couple of years around Beaune, and the wine there was very good. Nagano does indeed have a very good selection of booze of all types - there are giant liquour stores everywhere. Link to post Share on other sites
cheeseman 1 Posted October 26, 2002 Share Posted October 26, 2002 I like a bit of wine with my cheese. The cheese provides the nutrition to rocket-high levels. Such a nutritious and fun foods. For all ages! Fun for all! Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 26, 2002 Author Share Posted October 26, 2002 Yes, I think the Oz wines are good full-bodied wines, but the French ones can be a lot more complex. If you pay a bit the pinot noir can provide quite the experience. I think the French problem is the price, to get a good one outside France, esp. here, is ridiculous. (Maybe the French keep the best, the rest is snapped up by sainsbury's). Recently been in the 'cheap' market, so that may be where the problem lies. Ocean, If you could just send me a box of Wolf Blass down from Nagano... Had a very dissappointing Merlot from the Maile valley, Chile last night. Link to post Share on other sites
Higuma 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 For a cheap but acceptable red wine ( 1000 yen ) If you're just having a glass or two with no meal then try Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Zinfadel or with a meat meal Woodbridge Cabernet Sav.... For your white winers - there is also a Chardonney and a Savignon Blanc... But I never touch the white, so you're on your own.. The Zin is a good everyday drinker - not too tanic but nice and woody with a hint of pepper and the Cab is almost like a good Tuscan Cab... Best results from these two are yeilded with letting the bottle breath for 1/2 hr to 45 min. before first glass... you'll see.... There is a Merlot as well but I don't care for it... All in all, a good drink for 980 or 1000 yen... Oh, and if you want to splurge ( 5,000 yen ) then try the Mondavi Napa Valley "unfiltered" Cab or Zin........ the cab has as much punch as an Antanori and the Zin is very spicy... Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Author Share Posted October 27, 2002 Had enough, restructuring, back up to a respectable min for a bottle of wine, smile returning to my face as I reach the end of the whole ********* village, ummm, maybe a good time to start on another! (McClaren Vale, followed by a Concha y torres...maybe) Link to post Share on other sites
Higuma 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 For those of you who know your Italian reds I brought three bottles with me from Canada which I will open some day for an appropriate occasion... 1 bottle of 1986 Antonori Solia 1 bottle of 1986 Taurino Notarpanaro & 1 bottle of 1991 Brunello di Montalcino - Castello Banfi I have found a good supply of Antonori Solia and Sassacia here in Sapporo but..... whewww it's expensive.... still just finding it is a triumph Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 I think I am a little spoiled. There are so many wonderful vineyards in Washington and Oregon (and obviously California). Are American wines particularly expensive in Japan? I'm sure you see a fair share of Napas, but what about Cabernet Sauvignons or Pinot Noirs from Washington and Oregon? I think domestic wines around here fall into 3 categories. < $8 Cheap wine not worth drinking $8-$15 Supermarket sale wine. Some of which is very drinkable and quite good. Some isn't of course. Everyday wine. $15+ Premium wine. [These are store-bought prices. Expect to pay anywhere from 3 to 5 times as much in a restaurant.] Of course this is not exact, but it seems wine makers aim for one of these three markets in particular. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 I can never bring myself to pay that much for wine in a restaurant. Highway ****** robbery that. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Author Share Posted October 27, 2002 My main complaint eating out in Japan.. you go to a place with great food and the wine is crap. One place near Umeda that just opened up, however, had a wine celler you could browse, both retail and restaurant. Two prices on the label, the restaurant one being only an extra 50% or so. (a good range of ports and sherry's too!). After such easy access to a good range of fine wines, though, the steep narrow stairs leading down from the place become a problem... Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 Would you like your red wine chilled...? Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Author Share Posted October 27, 2002 One restauranteer basically told me once... 'you really wouldn't want THIS wine at room temperature, believe me!' Link to post Share on other sites
sam_casper 0 Posted October 27, 2002 Share Posted October 27, 2002 "you sound like my mommy after a box of wine" - ralph whigam Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 28, 2002 Author Share Posted October 28, 2002 Link to post Share on other sites
bigglesworth 0 Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 I like most wines, but had a few headache-inducing Japanese ones. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 miteyak-If you are after a good selection of wines in Osaka the import shop in OCAT has a large selection with a lot of higher end product and some good deals. It's worth going for the food as well-plenty of interseting stuff and it's very cheap. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 28, 2002 Author Share Posted October 28, 2002 Yeah, have used it often in the past. Not impressed with the low-mid wine in there, however. Link to post Share on other sites
Higuma 0 Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 If you come to Sapporo this year check out " The Grand Vin " wine shop at B2 @ Robinson's Dept. stoer in Susukino... Great selection of "everything" from inexpensive Cali / Au / Fr. / Ital. right up to "very" expensive..... I think you'd be quite impressed for such a selection out here in the wilderness.... I have not seen a store like this anywhere outside of Vancouver or San Francisco... and then there is only two or three.... Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 29, 2002 Author Share Posted October 29, 2002 there seems to be a trend in Japan. Some countryside areas seem to be better appointed than the cities. Could it be the growing number of discerning professionals getting early retirement and migrating to the countryside? Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts