Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2011
Photos courtesy of VEGa Café Wine Bar
It just so happened that we stumbled upon VEGa Café Wine Bar on a recent Monday evening, which is when husband and wife team Paul and Keiko present their Wine Viking Night—all you can drink for two hours for ¥2,000 (Mondays only). Needless to say, we paid up and got on the clock.
The Viking system is simple: anything on the regular wine list with a little green dot is fair game. Green means go eco, so we kicked it off with the organic Era Grillo from Sicily. It was dutifully dry, but with none of the expected citrusy zest, leaving us rather unfulfilled. With more wines to choose from and a two-hour limit, we quickly moved on to some reds.
We opted for two different glasses from the Aussie vineyard Lincoln Estate. One was a robust Cabernet Sauvignon with subtle overtones of blackcurrant and cherry, the other a deep Shiraz hinting at plum and oak. Both were dependable, workman-like reds: easy on the palate and sufficiently fruity to enjoy with or without nibbles.
As if on cue, proprietress Keiko appeared with a small plate of camembert, smoked and cheddar cheeses that are included in the deal. Free nibbles consist of a bottomless bowl of either kaki no tani (those little brown crescent-shaped rice crackers you can’t help munching on), assorted nuts or popcorn, depending on what’s in stock. Refill as needed with a wave of the hand, though the hosts usually preempted us when the bowl was getting low. A variety of other foods are available from ¥500 such as gyoza, vegetable sticks and Buffalo wings, plus pizza from ¥800.
While the menu at first glance seems limited—with select bottles from Australia, Italy, Portugal and Spain—mention Barolo in passing conversation, and Paul will produce something from his private stash (depending on your budget). Likewise, voice a fondness for Pinto Noir and you’ll be asked the country, region or vintner. He might not have something from that esoteric vineyard in Chile last year, but a suitable replacement will be rustled up.
Keiko must have taken a shine to us, as we were treated to some recommendations not included in the Viking deal. The Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali Bianco from Sicily had exactly the floral and citrus notes we were after, with added hints of apple and pear and little acidity. After something from the wide Italian range, we finished off with the Vega Douro 2007 from Portugal. A beautifully full red, our final tasting note simply reads: “buttery.” Whatever that means.
Owner Paul is something of a social media maven, so look out for regular posts about their special prices and times on Facebook (http://meturl.com/vegafb). If you can’t make it in time, just comment under his FB update and get your first drink at the posted price whenever you rock up.
He’s also set up iTunes DJ via their Wi-Fi system, so smart-phoners can put in requests and get their personal jukebox on—you can even vote for others’ requests to push them up the list (be warned that on Mondays the large iTunes library is restricted to ’80s music). You might need to get another beverage while you peruse the collection, and another one as you wait for your tunes to play. The perfect time, perhaps, to try the draft Sapporo Black Label, available for ¥500 with or without head if you are not enamored of the thick foamy cream common around town. They also have a selection of Australian bottled beers (VB, XXXX and Crown Premium) as well as Hoegaarden, Chimay Blue, Guinness and others, all for ¥800. Shochu, daiginjou sake, whisky, tequila and others weigh in from ¥500. Bottled water is free of charge—and it’s best to keep one in front of you. Paul and Keiko are somewhat renowned for leading your palate on a voyage of drunken discovery.
