Dispatches from Japan: The wonderful world of 7-11 branded wine

Those of you familiar with the greatness of 7-Eleven in Japan will appreciate the sheer luxury of staying in a hotel with a (small, but well-stocked) 7-Eleven in the lobby. *Monocle pops off from fanciness* I’m in Japan for the next couple of weeks and have spent the last three days in Tokyo getting to know a particular niche of wine: 7-Eleven branded wine.

While 7-Eleven does offer private label wine in parts of the United States, its bottles tend not to feature the signature green, orange, and red label so prominently. Gotta keep up appearances, I guess, even when you’re not above bringing $4 wine to a party. But Japanese wine drinkers apparently have no such inhibitions. Hey, why shouldn’t the home of the world’s best egg salad sandwich display their logo proudly?

I found these wines at a few different 7-Eleven stores around the city. For the sparkling lovers, there’s Yosemite Road Sparking Brut and Sparking Brut Rosé. If you like reds, you’ll find 7-Eleven exclusives from Wolf Blass and Robert Mondavi along with what appears to be another 7-Eleven exclusive label, Gran Andes. Prices all come in at about 500¥, or roughly $3.70 USD.

Are they any good? No idea. There’s so much good wine (and beer, and cocktails) in Tokyo that I had zero stomach space for convenience store mystery wine. Also, my spouse would have physically forced me to put it back on the shelf. But if I had to take a wild guess, I’m 90% sure it tastes roughly like all the other $4 wines: fruity, ripe, and best paired with food that you bought at 7-Eleven. (Like those delightful onigiri. Japanese 7-Eleven, you complete me.)