(Singapore) Crystal Wines hosted its annual wine & movie night treating members of the Singapore wine trade to a special screening of The Avengers.

 

The wine portion of the evening came prior to watching the Avenger super-humans save the world from the mendacious Loki.   Crystal did their best to avenge quality winemaking for an hour or so by pouring  their newest wine labels. 

 

As I tried all the wines I couldn't help but look for character comparisions between the wines and the Marvel Comic Book characters in the movie;  call it "wine trade fun" or a simple case of  "obesessive wine journalist disorder" - whatever -  this silly activity seemed like the right thing to do at the time...

 

Here's what my imagination and palate conjured & reckoned:

 

The "Black Widow" of wine in the line-up was played by Henri Giraud Esprit Brut NV.  Why?  As a beautiful, clandestine grower champagne (clandestine only because not enough people know about it...) the HG Esprit is both seductive and deadly good.    And like the heartbreaking Black Widow (well, she was also lethal in the comics), I was heartbroken when my glass was empty!

 

The "Captain America" of wine was Flametree Embers SBS (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon). This earnest yet intrepid SBS from Margaret River is packed with explosive fruit flavours and zesty energy...a lot like the true-blue Cap'n America and everybit as likeable and easy-going.  I reckoned it could deflect any bad mood with the first sip.

 

The "Iron Man" of wine was the Usseglio Côtes du Rhône.  This cleverly intricate and fiery grenache based wine showed Iron Man's quixotic charm but was also backed up with a solid, dependable tannin structure and utterly charming southern Rhône aromatics.  Like Iron Man, I couldn't help but have a soft spot for this wine... 

 

The "Hawkeye" of wine was the Katnook Founder's Block Cab Sav; filled with surprising precision and balance this Coonawarra classic red shared the Hawkeye's duplicitous nature, e.g. slowly revealing unexpected, complex aromas and flavour character over time, and in the end proving to be a stalwart, dependable and enduring wine.

 

The "Thor" of wine in the Crystal offer was Misha's Vineyard "Impromptu" Pinot Noir.  OK... this might seem a bit out on the edge, I know, that such a powerful and manly comic character would remind me of a medium-bodied, young pinot noir named after a woman - and it may well be a stretch - but hear me out! 

 

Here it goes:  With electrifying acidity combined and juicy intense fruit concentration the surprising livliness of Misha's Impromptu reminded me of Thor's electrifying power (acidity), his impetuous nature (bursting with fruit forwardness). and his powerful grip (lingering finish).   Like Thor this wine packs a vibrant punch - and it was impromptu - like Thor.  Not bad, eh?

 

The Incredible Hulk in wine fortunately wasn't at the event to wreck everyone's palate. 

 

Of course, one can definitely find big, menacing and green red wines that scarily ressemble the Hulk. 

 

Thankfully, Crystal didn't show any wines like that - you know wines that had been pelted with Gamma rays, or more likely picked too early when the phenolics in the grapes were still green and mean. 

 

And the movie?  It's great!  The wine prior to the film might have influenced my judgement about that but all in it's a fun, big screen movie experience packed with action, adventure and the occasional funny throw away line. 

 

Plus, whether by accident or design I had awesome seats to watch Hulk pound Loki and others...great stuff!

 

Go see the movie and I dare you to try matching the characters with your favourite wines...call it the Avenger Challenge.  We'll be happy to see your findings posted here on TLN or on our TLN's facebook page.

 

COME ON! 

Take the Avenger Challenge!

 

Contributed by Sarah Mayo, TLN Editor

 

 

 

I have to be the only wine lover on the planet to take a week-long holiday vacation with my family in Indonesia (Lombok) and forget to bring a bottle of wine …or three… with me. Didn’t even think to look up the duty free limits – because had I done that I would have surely stuffed my two adult family member’s bags with bottles too!

 

 

What’s done is done. We arrived at the super-nice Qunci Villas in Lombok with no wine to choose from other than what’s on the resort wine list – a list with a supermarket Chilean white starting at US$40 per bottle and moving up to bubbles (Delamotte NV) costing more than the room and food for a day (north of $250 per bottle).

 

Hello Happy Hour cocktails!

 

But the habit of wine is too well ingrained in me. I just prefer a glass of something cool and white in this setting. So ‘by-the-glass’ @ US$10 I proceed.

 

At first I was disappointed to see the wine list but quickly had an epiphany.  A developing country beach resort is exactly where mass-produced wine serves a very good purpose: it’s predictable. The wine list at Qunci is just that - an assortment of supermarket-level Aussie wines – Lindemanns and Rosemount mostly. 

 

But there is also a lone Penfold’s Rawson’s Retreat Semillon-Chardonnay on the list too – a very safe choice on the drinkability scale and for a massively large production wine, one that isn’t an oaky and flabby fruit bomb.   It's very well made and above all balanced. 

 

Most importantly though, it's not a pondering, fussy wine that will take my mind off the beautiful sunset I’m enjoying every afternoon from a lounge chair.

 

My sunset Penfold's is as uncomplicated as the afternoon that preceded it…plus it’s fresh. This wine also serves as a very pleasant companion to the fresh spring rolls with spicy sauce I'm having with it.

 

It's refreshing to know that every glass of wine doesn’t’ have to be an enlightened discovery of unique quality, terroir and winemaker genius.  Predictable and straightforward in style are plenty good, particularly when paired with a beautiful sunset.

 

It's nearly 5pm again - time to embrace my own private Indonesian wine challenge again...(:

Hong Kong scored another point in the ongoing Asia "wine hub" game last week. 

 

The game I'm referring to is the constant rivalry between Singapore and Hong Kong for "wine hub" status...it's an extension of the long-running rivalry in practically all pursuits.   In the wine game though, Hong Kong definitely has the progressive edge, especially given the government attitudes towards duty and tax on alcohol. 

 

The latest hot spot news is the opening of the slick, high-tech wine bar Amo Eno that sent a ripple of excitement through an already vibrant Hong Kong wine scene - So big was this news that it rated a special launch feature aired on CNBC  - or had a very organized PR machine see to it that it made the news!  Either way, it made it.

 

I was headed to Hong Kong for TLN when I heard the trailer on CNBC...I noted the name and bookmarked it as a place to go see.  The next day in Hong Kong I popped into a Watsons to buy a bottle and picked up a magazine that had an advertisement for Amo-Eno.

 

Within 24 hours I had had two marketing pitches resonate with me.  That's as good as fate grabbing me by the ear lobe and dragging me there...so I let fate lead the way and set up a drink with wine friends at Amo Eno.

 

Amo Eno (located on the 3rd floor of the IFC Mall ) is clearly a design concept wine bar centered around an interactive touch-screen "bar counter" showing the store's wine selection.   I'm not so sure about the location as it seems like a transit spot to me, but the bar was full when I arrived and the business was brisk.  It's not the easiest shop to find though - so if you're planning a rendez-vous factor that into the travel there.

 

Tasting samples are availabe from a wall of self-serve enomatic machines and a wonderfully eclectic selection of wines is available by the bottle for on -premise or take-home purchase. 

 

Where Amo Eno scores big is that the wine prices aren't bloated by an egregious GST tax and duty structure like Singapore.   Plus the selection offered interesting older vintage wines most at reasonable prices. 

 

Amo Eno simply means "love wine" and it's clear the founders are nuts for both wine and design.  The bar was founded by well-known US sommelier Andrew Bradbury and his wife Brooke.  He describes himself as a wine geek and tech junkie - originally marrying his two interests to launch the world’s first electronic wine list in 2001 in collaboration with Microsoft at Aureole in Las Vegas.

 

Andrew has since gone on to be involved in other techno-posh wine bar concepts at 55 Degrees at Mandalay Bay and Clo at Time Warner Center in New York City. 

 

Amo Eno is the culmination of these experiences and is put together with tremendous attention to design detail influenced by Brooke.

 

Since the Airport Express runs right through the IFC it's handy enough to drop in for a glass of something either coming in or going out.

 

But if you're leaving Hong Kong and you pick up a bottle to bring back to Singapore - remember you'll have to pay the DUTY...Ouch!

 

Oh!  How silly of me...how could we all forget about the duty and tax?

When I moved to Singapore and lamented the lack of "seasonal change" a long time expat here told me to quit griping.  "Singapore has four seasons" she said.  "There's Hot, Hotter, Wet and Wetter. 

 

Right I thought...so much for ever feeling "fresh" here on the equator.

 

I wasted no time searching for "freshness" coping mechanisms and immediately turned to super-chilled white wine.  Maybe I could trick my body into thinking  fresh thoughts?

 

It actually works.

 

This week TLN suggests some very fresh wines that are also a chance to "taste outside of the box."  Forget the cheap Cold Storage and NTUC discount wine and dare to taste some lesser-known whites from the Old World that are both top quality and reasonably priced. 

 

Why?

 

The main ingredient in most of these wines is refreshing acidity.  Since we're in the "hot" season and heading towards hotter - these are nice wines to count on slaking one's thirst when Singapore goes to the dreaded "hotter"...

 

Let's start with the Gruner Veltliner - in part because it's the Austrian Wine Festival and there are abundant opportunities to taste this wine all over town.  This indigenous grape is for Austria what Sauvignon Blanc is for New Zealand - an ambassador of typicity in wine style and grape expression.  That's a fussy way of saying Austria sets the standard for Gruner Veltliner style - even though other countries are starting to produce Gruner wines.   Everytime I pour this wine people like it...I like it too. 

 

The recommended Huber Gruner Veltliner Ober Steigen 2009 is straight out of central casting for a Gruner:  it has wonderfully lifted acid freshness, great citrus and mineral flavours, and the tell-tale hint of white pepper running throughout that is a signature Gruner trait.  Best of all it pairs well with just about everything - I often call it the chameleon grape.

 

If that doesn't appeal, the rest are Italian whites - an almost unknown collection of wines (outside of Pinot Grigio) for most wine drinkers.

 

First consider two Arneis wines from the Piedmont in Northwestern Italy.  TLN recommends two wines at different price points.  As an entry to the grape consider the Marchesi Incesa Della Rocchetta Roero Arneis that's a really light and easy wine with attractive floral character.  It has a bit of "palate" weight, meaning it doesn't disappear quickly.  It's a crowd pleaser really!

 

A bit fancier version is the Roero Arneis made by Bruno Giacosa.  This is a nervier wine with more acid tension over the same sort of ripe, full fruit.  It's delicious and if your wallet permits it's a great entry point too!

 

Next are two more northern Italian wines - both made from the Garganega grape (predominantly) - pronounced gar-gan-nay-guh.  Again, ther first is a simple expression of this grape and well know by it's "style" - Soave.  It's the Fontana Soave that has nice lemony nots and some more spicy, savory elements. 

 

The next is from a very famous vineyard - made by a famous Italian winemaker : Guiseppe Quintarelli.  He wasn't known for his garganega, but still he was very skilled for his Amarone wines.  As it happens, he recently died in January 2012.  There's a great article that talks about how humble of a man he was - but more importantly it talks about a standard of wines Guiseppe spent his life making.  No doubt - this is a pricy wine, but it's a wine that serves as a benchmark for a style and place.  The Quintarelli Bianco Secco is a refreshing treat on a hot Singapore night.

 

Last is a Fiano D'Avelino - a white that comes from the south but from 'altitude' which preserves that desireable freshness.  Also from a well-known winery, the Feudi San Gregorio Fiano is a premium Italian white.  Coming from the south this is amore honey-fused wine aromatically with a crisp stone fruit and lemon characterin the mouth.  It's both interesting and delicious.

 

Go outside of the usual tasting zone this week and try these wines.  They are all great quality and an interesting change from the "usual drop."

My husband is never certain of the date for Valentines Day.  Just to be safe, on Groundhog Day (Feb. 2) he starts wishing me "Happy Valentines Day" every morning - terrified to even contemplate what might befall him should he forget this most sacred, romantic occasion popularized by the greeting card industry!

 

FYI for those who aren't as well prepared- or frightened - V-Day is Feb 14 (tomorrow).  Like the greeting card industry, the wine industry encourages consumers to celebrate this auspicious occasion by sharing a memorable bottle of wine - often a bottle that matches the colours of the occasion. e.g. something pink, fizzy and frivolous. 

 

TLN is falling in line with the marketing trend - somewhat - by selecting 6 sweetheart wines.  Why sweetheart wines you might ask?  Because these wines are delicious, special and well-worth sharing with a loved one.  A couple are pink and fizzy - but others are just plain delicious.

 

In the FIZZY category we can recommend the BABO Prosecco - a fantastically light sparkling wine with soft bubbles and a fresh finish.  In the PINK category TLN recommends the Sangliere Rosé - a classic rosé from Provence (France) that has juicy fruit flavours, some savoury notes on the nose and a long, lively finish.  In the PINK & FIZZY category TLN recommends two at different ends of the price spectrum.  The fun and really affordable option is the Finca Flicheman Extra Brut sparkling that is a festive and fruity fizz with a little bit of sweetness on the finish.  It's great with food or all by itself.  For the bigger budget TLN recommends Champagne Bruno Paillard rosé - an oppulent wine with super-fine, creamy bubbles and a lingering freshness on the finish.  It's the indulgent choice - that's for sure. In the WHITE and lightly SWEET category we recommend the Tariquet les Premiere Grives that drinks somewhere between a dry wine and a sweet wine - by that I mean it starts out tasting more fruity than sweet, but definitely ends on a sweet note.  If the romantic dinner is taking place at a restaurant or hawker stall with spicy food, there would be nothing better to enjoy well-chilled on a hot Singapore night.  In the RED category TLN recommends one of our favourites - Vynfields Pinot Noir.  This is an organic (biodynamic really) wine with such beautiful fruit purity, great acid freshness and just enough fine tannins to frame everything.  Plus, February 14 is a FLOWER day, which means the wine should be drinking well. (You'll have to read more about biodynamic wines to understand that last idea:-)  But trust us - this is a stunning red to share on a special day.

 

Lots to choose from here so check out the recommendations and get your wines lined up for V-Day!  You can always order them from TLN: info@thelocalnose.com

 

 

With tongue in cheek my father has for many years referred to his daily red wine as "heart medicine."  

 

Because I am a red wine drinker I've always chosen to believe that red wine possesses positive health benefits - that the anti-oxidents and polyphenols in the skins are secretly doing good chemical works in my body, even if they are staining my teeth! 

 

A recently published article in the Journal of Women's Health points to evidence that moderate red wine consumption could possibly lower the risk of breast cancer .  Alcohol consumption on the whole is considered to increase the risk of breast cancer but the study indicated that resveratrol in red wine slows the growth of breast cancer cells. 

 

Many drugs used to treat/manage breast cancer are aromatase inhibitors (AIs) aimed at blocking the effects of estrogen.  These AI's occur naturally in grapes, but only in red wine as it has resveretrol from the skins (not in white wine since it does not leach out these compounds in the finished wine).   Researchers found that cells treated with resveretrol did not proliferate as quickly.  Check out an article in the Huffington Post that explains clearly the impact of estrogens and resveretrol on cancer cells.

 

On the con side of the argument there's another thorough article in The Atlantic Monthly (online) by Dr. Elaine Schattner.  She's not as bullish on the findings and argues that there are too many related factors that could influence the actual risk.  Her arguments make sense.

 

I am going to continue believing that a daily dose of red wine is somehow good for me and stick with staining my teeth with Pinots, Tempranillos and Grenache wines. 

 

The question is whether the discussion in these articles encourages Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc drinkers to occasionally have something more tannic and red in order to glean the resveretrol benefits of red wine.

 

Is it worth expanding your palate to red for the health benefits?  Yes?  No?

 

 

 

 

 

When I told people I was going to Georgia - the reaction to my news was somewhat uniform.  "Georgia?"  the person would ask, followed by "Georgia, in the United States?" 

"No," I'd say, "the other Georgia."  Like clockwork there would be a thoughtful, five count pause before the person would ask, "what are you going to do there?"

 

"Taste wine,"  I'd say.   Then another pause before the response,  "I didn't know that they made wine..."

 

While it's not a secret, it's certainly not common knowledge. 

 

Georgia has been making wine for centuries, in fact claims to be one the "cradles" of wine civilization.  Certainly the location, climate and proximity to early European wine civilizations make that assertion plausible, as does Georgian winemaker's penchant for making wine in clay amphore called Qvervi.

 

However until recently very little Georgian wine was exported anywhere but Russia (the former Soviet Union).  That massive market was a sponge for more than 90% of Georgia's wine production - and regardless of quality someone to the north would happily drink the wine.

 

Russia abruptly turned off the spigot when political differences over Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke out (a war in 2008, in fact) leaving the Georgian's no choice but to seek new markets for wine, one of the country's biggest export cash crops.

 

Like every other wine producing nation the Georgians are now looking to the East as a potential new consumer.  Their young and proactive government is keen to get the word out about their traditionally-made wine and is focusing the industry on improving  wine quality standards to gain share in new markets. 

 

One challenge for the international consumer will be to overcome difficult grape names (quite honestly, trying to pronounce some of the grape names sober can make you sound like you're drunk!) and of course opening consumer's minds, palates and wallets to embracing new wine styles.   TLN has recommended a few Georgian wines that are in the Singapore market already - so a few have passed TLN's blind "Nose" test for quality and price.

 

I'll follow this blog post up with a longer piece on the wines, the place and the producers, but suffice to say here that Georgian wines can be interesting - with a few of the wine styles quite promising for international markets.    Georgian officials believe they can win over Asian consumers with their fruit focused, sometimes semi-sweet red wines.

 

With a thirsty Chinese red wine market and Georgia's expertise in pipeline politics -  who knows?  They may just build a giant Trans-Caucasian wine pipeline that flows with easy-going reds to satisfy China's growing demand.

 

Just a thought...

 

 

 

 

 

Pucker up and get your palate ready for the fruity and vibrant Beaujolais Nouveau!

 

This little red "party-tart-of-a-wine" will be released according to tradition (and law) on the third Thursday of November (this week on the 17th)  in Singapore at two big Beaujolais parties – the annual Beaujolais bash chez Picotin (Turf Club Road) and a second party at Brasserie Wolf right in the pulsating heart of Robertson Quay.

 

This is truly a global celebration - and one that is memorable when you are part of it.  My first Beaujolais Nouveau party was in 198? (not quite ready to reveal my true age;-) but it was on the Champs Elysee and my only "remaining" memory is of cafe wine glasses just brimming with bright red/purple liquid clanging against each other in toasts to welcome the first wine of the 198? vintage!  It's all a blur now, but all that yeasty, lusty red wine remains one of my wonderful memories of youth!  

 

There are two great BN parties in Singapore this week - one at PICOTIN at Turf Club Road and the other on Robertson Quay at Brasserie Wolf.  Which ever you choose the evening promises fun - and potentially nice memories..

 

 

Enjoy and most of all remember the fun and the youthful wine!

 

Sarah Mayo - TLN's Editor and Big Nose

 

This weekend kicks off a blockbuster wine month with a delicious bit of food mixed in with the wine. 

Singapore Straits Wine Company (formerly Denise Wines) will begin their annual 3 day Wine Fiesta on Thursday night at a Winemaker's Table dinner featuring winery representatives and wines from the SSWC portfolio plus a few others. The party continues Friday through Sunday at Customs House where consumers can buy a ticket to linger and sample wines all day.  It's a full day for the curious - or simply the thirsty - wine lover to taste through the SSWC portfolio and buy if you like.

 

On Saturday, not far away at the Suntec Convention Hall consumers can opt for another wine "Fiesta" - yes, it's the same name - at the 'first-ever' Wine for Asia Wine Fiesta.  Don't let the "Fiesta" name confuse you as the events are very different.  Wine for Asia is a trade show that opens it's doors to  consumers on the last day.  Many of the wines shown are "seeking distribution" in Singapore and elsewhere in SE Asia, so what is on offer is not necessarily available for purchase in Singapore, though is certainly new to consumers.

WAY COOL and coming up - the Wine and Restaurant Experience

 

Towards the end of the month we will all be treated to a new World Gourmet Summit series food and wine event with the launch of Singapore's Wine and Restaurant Experience (WRX).  This 10 day wine and food extravaganza features a Wine Journey event on November 26 that promises to engage wine lovers' minds, noses and palates in a focused, interactive way. 

 

How, exactly, you might ask?  Good question!

 

Unlike typical consumer wine fairs with tables and tables of assorted wines and suppliers or winery representatives standing behind very eager to tell you why their wine is the best, the WRX Wine Journey  will focus on presenting an educative taste journey through selected wine styles.  The journey will be guided by local experts at 5 Wine Activity Centers and will be hosted by Australia's well-known wine guru Jeremy Oliver. 

 

Each of these activity centers will focus on understanding different wine style within similar themes, e.g. The Bordeaux Blend will show 12 Cabernet Sauvignon wines from different regions around the world, and the BUBBLES! activity center will present a full range of sparkling wines and champagnes to illustrate what makes a Prosecco and a Blanc de Blancs Champagne different (besides price!)  The best thing is that a local expert will be on hand to answer any questions - plus if you like the wines you can order for home delivery.  Not bad...

WRX Wine Journey  will also bring 7 of Singapore's top restaurants to the Gourmet Pairing Market where each will prepare a signature dish for consumers to buy for $10.  These gourmet dishes will be paired with 2 wines from some of the world's best wine brands.  It's a chance for food and wine lovers both to try dishes from top restaurants like Gaia, The Disgruntled Chef, Stellar, Caprici, Song of India, Magma and Au Petit Salut all paired with wine.  This is Affordable Gourmet at it's finest!

 

Tickets for this event go on sale in early November, so watch TLN for full details.  We'll try to get a few to give away!!!

 

But for this weekend, just remember to say Olé when you find a wine you really like:-)

Generally speaking Burgundy wines are not considered beginner wines - though I guess native Burgundians begin with them!

 

Part of the allure (and difficulty) of understanding the wines from one of France's most famous regions is the desire to appreciate very different expressions of the same grapes, e.g. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, that come from different "appellations" or villages in Burgundy.

 

Another part of what makes understanding Burgundy so challenging is that many vineyard parcels are extremely small and produce very distinct wine styles from these specific "terroir".  A few meters in distance can separate Grand Cru vineyard sites from a Premier Cru, or even from an ordinary AOC Burgundy.  This is confusing for consumers because the distance in prices between these different levels of wine is considerably greater!

 

At this point I am guessing that most beginner wine drinkers have already jumped off this blog post because the above info seems all too hard.  But for those reading on - I want to share a new interactive tool produced by the Burgundy Trade Board (BIVB) that illuminates the path of understanding some of the world's most sought-after and prized wines.  The program is designed for wine trade professionals but it is equally useful to aspiring Burghound wanna-be consumers eager to learn more.

 

As I am always fascinated by these interactive wine tools, I took it for a spin and immediately learned new things... Check it out here

As this is for trade professionals some bits are not going to be of interest, but the general Discover Burgundy Wines and Tasting Burgundy Wines are the most consumer focused.  Only the true geeks need look at the 365 Days in Burgundy section! 

 

 

Now, go "Be the Burghound"...