For wine fans, the Daita neighborhood in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward is a worthy destination. This part of town is home to one of Tokyo's most impressive wine stores. Shinanoya Shokuhin Co. has existed for 50 years. By 1998, the wine and spirits department at Shinanoya Supermarket was outgrowing its shelf space. So that year, the company opened a two-story building across the street, dedicated to its collection of about 1,300 wines -- as well as alcoholic beverages, ranging from shochu to dessert liqueurs.
Shinanoya Shokuhin Co. caters to wine aficionados.Shinanoya's wines fill almost the entire, specially climate-controlled second floor. Jazz wafts through the air; there's a tasting counter and a staff of sommeliers to offer suggestions. As you head up the staircase, you'll find cases of bargain wines on each step. If you are buying for a large, rowdy party, you may be tempted by the selection of cheap-and-cheerful plonk such as Conchya y Torro's Sunrise Merlot from Chile's Central Valley (880 yen) or Mondavi's Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay (980 yen). Add a few coins to your per-bottle budget and choose from an array of more distinctive, midrange wines from around the world -- such as a meaty 1998 Peter Lehmann The Barossa Shiraz (1,580 yen) or a spicy, fragrant 1999 Hugel Gewurztraminer from France's Alsace region (1,780 yen).