Please Help Japan

L'Espoir

We bought this wine from the actual winery (Asaya winery) in Katsunuma, Yamanashi prefecture (Japan) and the main reason for buying it was the bottle.

In Katsunuma they sometimes bottle the wines in these huge 1.8litre bottles that are the standard size for sake bottles. Apparently they only do that here, no where else in Japan or the world.
I took a picture of it next to a normal bottle of wine so you can see the difference.

The other unusual thing about these bottles is the closure, it's not cork, it's the plastic cap that they use for sake. You prize it off, and then you push it back in when you're done (much easier than jamming a cork back in). Pretty air-tight too.

The lady in the winery told us this was their biggest seller and I'm not surprised as it was really cheap, something like ￥1500 ($15) for a bottle.

But what's the wine like?
Well, I was a bit nervous as we bought it without tasting it, and the lady said it was a Cab Sauv and Muscat Bailey A blend. All the other Muscat Bailey wines I'd tried I didn't like as they were too berry like and not really like wine.

However, I was very pleased and impressed when we did finally open it.

Smooth, medium bodied with a medium finish. Some dark fruit (and the berrys), blackcurrant, etc. A little dry but overall a great party, everyday kind of wine.

Wish we'd bought some more of it now.

13 Drinkers Online - Cheers!