Thursday, August 27, 2009

CheapSake: Rakuen 100 Yen Wine

This begins my first foray into the one of Japan's hidden worlds. The world of cheap ready to drink booze. I'm going to explore the world of booze in Japan under ¥200 (about $2). America has a rich history of bumwines. Thunderbird, Cisco, and Wild Irish Rose are three examples. Japan also has its own various beverages for the on-the-go drunkard who needs a quick nip. Most of these are types of low quality sake, Japanese ricewine, but shochu, a type of Japanese spirit, and other fruit wines are also floating around the conbini. So with out further blabbering my first CheapSake review...

08.27-rakuenwine

Rakuen Wine 楽園ウイン
CheapSake #1

I expected my first installment of CheapSake to be, well, sake, but today we got wine.

Tucked in the top corner of the cooler case with the hand written price tag... ¥100. It called out to me. It said, "David, I must taste like crap, drink me." It also said "Look at the sad place I've been put in the shelf, no one will ever buy me." I partially bought this box of red wine out of pity, partially out of curiosity. The pink packaging and the explanation on how to enjoy wine written on the back says this is for the girls here. It didn't stop me--I'm going to drink this in the privacy of my room. This wine is packaged in the same kind of box you'd have for apple juice back in elementary school. It comes with a straw, just in case you don't want to dirty a class. I choose the straw. I want the full effect. The side of the box has a flavor guide, as if it were actual bottle of expensive wine, but it makes me wonder. Are there other varieties of Rakuen Wine? If so, where can I find them? From the guide I learn that the wine is full bodied, is somewhat dry, has a moderate alcohol flavor, is 12% alcohol, and should be drunk between 12-14C. Reading this I actually thought this wine might not be too bad.

So how's the flavor? It full bodied indeed, there's something to it, a bit of a kick, and it's not very sweet at all. I was afraid it was going to be super sweet grape juice, but this actually doesn't taste too bad. It's got a dominant alcohol taste in the beginning, but not harsh at all. I've had worse that came in bottles with corks. As far as it's boozing factor goes, a few boxes of this will get you there, but it won't knock you out.

Rakuen Wine
¥100
Purchased at Sunkus

1 comment:

angryparsnip said...

wahahahahahahahahahah!
I was spitting coffee as I read this I was laughing so hard.
You write so well. . .. I like the whole conversation you had with the lonely box. . . buy me, please !

Interesting AW take on your picture