October 26, 2004
Drinking Asia
Looking for a change of pace from our routine of heavy, indiscriminate drinking, Gothamist was browsing the aisles of 67 Wine & Liquor when we came across these curiosities. At top is a bottle of litchi wine from Taiwan, a sweet, aromatic brew redolent of the delicate fruit. Given the glut of litchis on the market these days, Gothamist will be happy to shore up demand by keeping a bottle of this stuff handy.
Below is a bottle of Choya Umeshu, apparently one of Japan's best-known brands of plum wine (their website is just this side of Lost In Translation kitsch). Japanese plum wines ("umeshu") are made from the Ume fruit, the plum variety that is often salt-cured to make umeboshi. Choya's umeshu has whole ume fruit suspended in the bottle; we can't wait to try them.
With such exotic flavors at our disposal, Gothamist is a little disappointed the sweet martini fad is three years behind us. Still, we're perfectly satisfied to enjoy our new Eastern discoveries chilled, straight up.
-Lychee Chiew Wine, $9.29/bottle
-Choya Umeshu, $16.49/bottle
67 Wine & Liquor (67wine.com)
179 Columbus Ave., between 67th & 68th Streets
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Mmm...plum wine. If anyone is interested in more sake and plum wine, check out Decibel on East 9th Street.
http://www.sakebardecibel.com/
Also, most above-average sushi joints have a good selection of sakes and plum wines.
That brand of umeshu is the real deal, I picked up a bunch of it last time I was in Tokyo.
I just bought some white wolfberry wine from Ningxia province, P.R.C. I'll post a review on my site as soon as I try it.
I just bought some white wolfberry wine from Ningxia province, P.R.C. I'll post a review on my site as soon as I try it.
Choya Umeshu is great, but $17/bottle is highway robbery. $15 is more the average price, and I've seen the 750ml bottle for as little as 12.
Yeah, it sounds like *New York Pricing*, this stuff is fairly commonly available in Seattle for much less.
Aron: just to be clear, I've seen it for under $15 in Manhattan. The trick appears to be to not buy from the places Gothamist shops at.
Nice wine review. Thanks. :)