Cellar Seller in Singapore

A little shout out on Cellar Seller’s new moves. Cellar Seller recently moved to Scotts 27, a black and white heritage-colonial bungalow (located a short walk from Newton MRT station). Foodies, especially those into French cuisine, would be familiar with this location as it previously played host to meals crafted by Chef Julien Bompard. Now Mr Gabriele Rizzardi and Ms Sunny Sun (of Cellar Seller) intend to add a different dimension to this place; the wine and whiskey kind.

Cellar Seller is presently focused on serving private clients by sourcing for well aged whiskey and back vintage wines. I recently attended its soft launch and was greeted with the sight of well known back vintage French wines and whiskies. To cater to local enthusiasts who drop by their new location, they have a whiskey room and a wine room to showcase their products as well.

It also intends to expand its operation by building a portfolio of wine labels and marketing its range to F&B outlets in Singapore. Ms Sunny Sun, a well known person in the local wine industry, will be in-charge of this new effort.

The place also has a decent sized dining room (which can cosily accommodate 30 pacs) and tasting rooms as well. Plans are afoot to organise wine tastings and wine dinners at this location in the near future.

If you like to be notified of upcoming events, do drop a line to Ms Sunny at sunny_sun@cellarseller.com.sg. Meanwhile if you need a place in city centre to host a dinner or like to arrange wine tasting events for your colleagues, do contact Ms Sunny; she's keen to assist.

Sips from Russia

... if you wish to try sips from Russia when in Singapore.

It was an art show located in a gallery at Armenian street. The exhibit showcased works by Russian artists. True to good form, guests were introduced to sips from Russia during this event.

Though Russia has a long history in winemaking, it nevertheless faces challenges in making quality wine with an international appeal. Despite hurdles, some producers are striving to make their mark on the international wine scene.

One such producer is Abrau-Durso winery. I've had the opportunity to see their wines exhibited at Hong Kong Wine & Spirits fairs (an event held annually in Hong Kong). In Singapore, the Abrau-Durso wines can be found at Buyan Russian Restaurant & Caviar Bar at 9 Duxton Hill.

Two sparkling wines from Abrau-Durso winery were showcased during this art event: one the sparkling white demi-sec and the other an extra brut. According to the sommelier at hand, the demi-sec is made with Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot blanc varietals; while the extra brut is made using Pinot noir and Riesling varietals.

Both were made in easy, refreshing styles exhibiting a leaning towards fruit flavours like citrus and apple notes (as opposed to mineral or autolytic character profile).

An interesting spirit came in the form of the Kremlin Award Grand Premium Vodka as well. I must confess that I am not much of a 'spirits' drinker. To this novice, it came forth as an approachable sip with pleasing flavours and an enjoyable texture when tasted neat.

The good host nevertheless ensured the presence of strawberries and tomato juice as accompaniments for those inclined.

A representative from Wine Tatler, the firm marketing this vodka in Singapore, explained that this vodka goes through a '6 steps purification process' and is made under stringent conditions. If you are keen to try these sips from Russia, do contact the respective local merchants :)

Yellow Wines from Jura in Singapore

For the inquisitive wine drinker. A white wine called ‘Yellow wine’ (Vin Jaune) from the Jura wine region of France.

Though by and large white wines try to retain freshness, youthfulness and fruit notes; the vin jaune on the other hand embrace and display a partially oxidative character . They are certainly not the sort of whites produced at large in other wine growing regions of France or across the world. A little unique in style and certainly an acquired taste for the local wine consumer in Singapore.

I had the opportunity to taste yellow wines from Domaine Rolet (Jura, France) recently at Vintage Wine Club (a wine company located at 49 Jalan Pemimpin). The colour in fact does not make one sit up and take note; I believe wine consumers are used to seeing white wines come in different shades (from colourless to deep amber). But the nose will certainly make one aware of the difference a yellow wine offers when you bring the glass closer for a whiff.



Domaine Rolet , Jura
 

Antonin Pon (one of the founders of this wine establishment) explained that unlike regular white wines which upon fermentation are aged with minimal oxygen contact (in order to preserve a wine’s freshness and fruit characters); yellow wines on the other hand are aged in partially filled barrels with a layer of yeast on the wine’s surface.

It’s similar to the process a Fino sherry undergoes during its aging phase (but unlike a Fino sherry; yellow wines are not fortified prior to aging). This manner of aging (with partial contact to oxygen) results in the wine attaining a good shade of yellow and a degree of oxidative notes. Also, aging in contact with yeast makes the wine embrace aromas and flavours that the yeast imparts.

One does not easily come across yellow wines in Singapore. Luckily, for those keen to see how older vintages perform, the Vintage Club carries back vintages of these wines as well (1985, 1988, 1995, 2000 and 2005). Apart from whites, Vintage Wine Club also brings in red and sparkling wines from Jura as well too.

It presently carries  more than 200 labels from different wine growing regions in France. Wine enthusiasts can attend free tastings held every Saturday (from 11am to 5pm) to learn about these wines.

For more details, you can contact:

Antonin PON - Founder Vintage,
Wine Warehouse
Tel : +65 9851 0749 49
49 Jalan Pemimpin, Loading Bay APS Industrial Building
01-09, Singapore 577203
www.thevintageclub.sg

La Terre the Wine bar

It commenced operation on 23 Nov 2015, La Terre. It’s the name of the new wine and whiskey bar located at 11 Upper Circular Road, #01-01. Its got an almost nondescript appearance on the outside; so one can’t be faulted for giving it a miss when walking along the corridor :) The interior however is another matter; renovated with a mind to provide a quiet, clean, cosy ambience in a minimalist style for patronizing wine enthusiasts and whiskey lovers.

Daisuke Kawai

The Head Sommelier and co-owner of this new establishment is Daisuke Kawai, a well known and certainly a well liked figure in the local wine scene. Having more than 20 years experience in the F&B industry (both abroad and in Singapore), he brings along with him a wealth of wine knowledge and experience. Over the years he has attended various wine courses to improve his wine knowledge and participated in several locally held sommelier competitions as well.

Daisuke Kawai

When asked about the name given to this wine & whiskey bar, he explained that the word ‘terre’ means earth in Latin. He found it appropriate as the produce used to make wine and whiskey are grown on earth.

His mission with this establishment is to offer a place where new wine enthusiasts find themselves comfortable to taste and learn about wine. He plans to start tailored wine workshops in the near future to share about wine from different wine growing regions as well. For the serious wine hobbyists, he hopes to provide a gathering place for like-minded souls to meet and explore a good range of wines from his wine list.

One can add that he’s going in the right direction with the wine list. He has started by introducing wines from various countries. A good portion of wines come from France, Italy and Spain; and to keep the list exciting he has included wine labels from countries like Austria, Greece, Lebanon, Hungary and US as well.

Prices start from $58 for a 2013 Domaine Magellan, Cotes du Rhone. Quite a number of wines are priced between $100-$200 ... and yes, there are those priced higher as well (there's a 1998 Romanee-Conti which stands at $19,988). Patrons can buy wine by the glass as well; a couple of wines are selected to cater to the curious wine enthusiast who wants to try different wines on a particular evening. If you like more information on the wine, a particular winery or a wine region, the affable Head Sommelier is more than willing to make the time to share what he knows with you.

His wine list covers the gamut from sparkling, still whites & reds, dessert to fortified wines. For the curious, there’s also a vin jaune (yellow wine) ... the wine fermented and matured in a barrel beneath a film of yeast.

This place can accommodate around 20 seated and a couple of standing customers as well. Operating hours are from 6pm to 11pm (its closed on public holidays and Sundays). You can contact Daisuke Kawai at 65321031 if you need more details or better yet, just drop by his place for a pleasant evening.

Epicurio Wine & Spirits phone app

It’s like a mall you go to. You find different retailers selling their products in a mall. You can browse, window shop, get some information on products and purchase them if you are inclined. You can also see what others purchase, hear their opinions and even share your own views if you can spare the time. Now you get to do all this without the need to actually visit a mall. Just using your smartphone will suffice; and you get the added benefit of getting your purchases delivered to your doorstep.

The local wine business is certainly keeping up with changing times. Evolving from brick and mortar business entities to one employing websites, ecommerce , email marketing and social media; now the retail scene boundary is yet pushed slightly further to newer grounds by the introduction of a smartphone app called Epicurio wine & spirits. Clement Hochart, it’s co-founder and CEO, is offering a new way for local wine consumers in Singapore to purchase their wine as well as interact with other fellow wine enthusiasts.

Clement Hochart

The first version of this app (showing basically wine news and tasting notes) was launched in Oct 2014. The current improved version (version 2), launched in Nov 2015, can be used in both Android and IOS platforms; and includes Cart feature, Timeline, Personal Wine Note Page etc. Now you can keep a log of the wines you’ve tasted as well (any wines you’ve tasted; need not be those bought via the Epicurio app alone). You can locate the link to this app at:
www.epicurio.co/app

On one side this online social wine platform provides local wine merchants an opportunity to tap the online market without the need for them to setup, update and maintain their own ecommerce presence and facility (something which can be time consuming and costly). Merchants can concentrate on their core business efforts and leave the online sales part to the Epicurio team. Going by present status, Clement highlights that slightly over 20 merchants are presently using the Epicurio wine platform to sell their products. Over 1,500 wine labels are currently showcased in Epicurio. Most wines are priced between $30-$100 per bottle (though some can go as low as $20 or as high as $6000 per bottle).

Looking at the consumer side, wine customers now have the ease of using an apps on their phone to browse and buy wines from different local wine merchants via just one platform. On customer usage, Clement comments that over this one year period, Epicuro has gained around 6,000 members; with 1,500 monthly users who use the site to purchase wines and contribute tasting notes.

For those who prefer to go the website and ecommerce way; you can still view and purchase these wines at www.epicurio.co. Credit cards, Paypal or Cash on delivery can be used locally to undertake a purchase. For purchase above $50, free delivery is also offered . You get the luxury of buying and receiving a few bottles, or a case of wine or wines in big format right at your doorstep.

Epicurio also organizes monthly wine tasting sessions which wine enthusiasts can attend to gain wine knowledge, taste wines and interact with other like-minded enthusiasts. For more information on this app, you can contact Clement Hochart via:
Tel: +6581794687
Email: clement.hochart@epicurio.co
Website: www.epicurio.co

Official Launch of RedMart Marketplace

The official launch of Redmart Marketplace. I was curious about this e-commerce platform as apart from groceries and household items, wines are sold here as well.

Model in brief
Roger Egan (co-founder and CEO) and his team explained that the ‘Marketplace’ concept allows independent merchants (retailers, wholesalers and distributors alike) to list and sell their products via the Marketplace e-commerce platform to RedMart’s customers.

Roger Egan of RedMart

Individual merchants save on time and resources as they do not need to go through the rigours of setting up, running and maintaining their own e-commerce sites. Merchants are also able to tap onto RedMart’s customer base for orders and the latter’s logistics support to get their goods delivered to customers.

The RedMart customers get the convenience of placing their orders at one site (rather than needing to visit several e-commerce sites run by individual merchants) and importantly, the benefit of getting their orders consolidated and delivered to their doorstep.

The Wine Angle
During this launch, I saw several established local wine merchants who are participating in RedMart Marketplace’s e-commerce platform; namely, The Straits Wine Company, Cellarmaster Wines, Angra Wine & Spirits, Weindepot Singapore and Carecci & Figli Trading. (The media kit also showed other participating wine merchants; namely Enoteca, VCT and Hai Choo Wines).

The Cellarmaster team

Nelson from WeinDepot

Rep from The Straits Wine Company

The Carecci & Figli team

Most of these wine merchants have been around in the local wine scene for some time. While a few have retail presence, most others sell to F&B outlets, clubs and direct customers. The RedMart’s Marketplace option provides an interesting avenue to reach local wine consumers I believe.

The breakdown of RedMart’s current sales show 20% of present sales done are under ‘alcoholic products’ (wines naturally included within this category). It points to a consumer base which already uses the Marketplace e-commerce platform for purchase of alcoholic beverages. A promising sign for participating merchants.

More pictures of this launch can be viewed via the following link: Launch of RedMart Marketplace

Cru World Wine (SG)

A new wine company in town. I had the opportunity to meet up with Tom Chamberlain (MD, Asia Pacific) of Cru World Wine to get some information regarding this new entrant within the local wine industry.

Tom Chamberlain & Joseph Tan

Tom explained that Cru World Wine was officially born in 2013 with the acquisition of Bibendum Private Client & Fine Wine business (a 32 year old business entity). It presently has offices in London, Bordeaux, Hong Kong and as of January this year, in Singapore as well. Simon Farr (who started Cru World Wine) has over 40 years' experience in the wine business. He was co-founder of Bibendum Wine Ltd and one of the founders of Majestic Wine. Simon is also involved as a shareholder in wine estates in Chile and South Africa (some of which are exclusive agencies of Cru World Wine (SG). He further acts as advisor to a private wine group with 10 wine estates around the world.

For the local wine consumer, wines are retailed online via a 'website and an ecommerce' platform (with email marketing employed to bring wine promotions to the attention of potential buyers). Tom highlights that time and resources have been invested to build a secure online platform, a safe payment gateway and a site which will offer an easier and better shopping experience for wine consumers. For example, this site uses HTTPS (a secure communication protocol) for communications between consumers’ computer and this company’s server. Users are also provided with log-in password to reinforce security. For repeat users, this site is able to provide details of your previous purchases so that you can easily place reorders of selected wines (without the need of trying to recall the details).

A good spread of wines are showcased within this site. From different types of wines (bubblies, still, dessert and fortified) to wines from both Old and New world regions, something is available for the curious wine consumer. In order to ensure quality, wines are brought into Singapore via reefer containers (so that proper temperature control can be maintained during shipment). Local logistics and storage is handled by CWT.

You can visit this new site at: Cru World Wine (SG)

For any query on this site, you can approach the local representative:

Joseph Tan | Fine Wine Trading Manager Cru World Wine (SG)
GH10 #02-08 | 10 Raeburn Park | Singapore | 088702
t +65 6692 1056
m +65 9773 0323
joseph.tan@cruworldwine.com

World Wine Vault in Singapore

World Wine Vault, a relatively new wine retail outlet located at 22 Sin Ming Lane, #08-76, Midview City, Singapore 573969. I had the opportunity to meet its owners while visiting this place on 14 April, when it was having the Shaw Vineyard Estate wine tasting session.

What started out as an online wine sales enterprise in early 2011 took on a physical dimension when the business moved into its current location in Nov 2011. 

While there, I took the opportunity to view some of the wines on display. Most wines come from wine regions located in France, Australia, Italy, NZ and S.Africa. This outlet offers wines for both the 'price conscious' and the 'quality conscious' wine consumers.

For the price conscious wine consumer there is a good selection of wines starting from $26 onwards. For those keen on easy drinking bubblies, there’s lambrusco at $26, a moscato spumante at $29 and a cremant at $37. These are affordable sips for daily drinking indulgence, bbq sessions and informal weekend get-togethers among friends where a generous quantity of wine at easy reach is looked upon favourably.

There’s a good range of whites and reds at prices between $30-$50 as well. These can be of interest to new wine enthusiasts who wish to taste wines from different countries without having to dig too deeply into their pockets. In particular, I saw some NZ pinot gris, pinot noir, riesling and gewürztraminer retailing at around $30; wines at good prices for those keen on exploring NZ wines or wanting to purchase a few bottles to pair with asian cuisine.

For those into quality wines and respected labels, some wines over here to consider will be those from Ch Ausone and Ch Lafite Rothschild from France; Sassicaia from Italy; Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz, Clarendon Hills Astralis, Grant Burge Meshach and Lake’s Folly Cabernets from Australia (to mention a few). If you are into purchasing wines in large sized formats, there’s wines from Haan Estate, Henley Farm, Irvine Grand Merlot, Colonial Estate and Oliverhill winery sold here as well.

World Wine Vault organizes regular wine tasting sessions to give enthusiasts an opportunity to sample wines before purchase. On the other hand, you can also arrange for an exclusive wine tasting session for your friends at this place; the owners are accommodating. You can contact them via Tel: 6659368; www.worldwinevault.com and Facebook as well.

(A few more pictures taken at World Wine Vault in this Photo Album.)