Given the overwhelming variety on offer, it is easy for many to pick wines based on their prestige or popular opinion. But this could also distract the novice consumer from the quality that is to be found with lesser known wines and, similarly, small-batch produces.

Wine pundit Robert Parker himself has said that consumers should simply drink what they deem enjoyable. How then, does one develop a broader appreciation of wine? Well, a good place to start would be at a wine fair — and there are three you can choose from this month.

Presented by Straits Wine Company, Wine Fiesta is back as arguably the largest annual outdoor wine festival on the island. To be held at Clifford Square (beside Fullerton Bay Hotel) over four days, from Oct 22 to 25, it also boasts the largest number of labels with more than 350 wine labels showcased.

“We encourage guests to come on multiple days to pace themselves,” said The Straits Wine Company group chief executive officer Kathy Lim-Sheehy when asked if the sheer number of varieties would be overwhelming. “That way, they could explore Old World wines on Day One, New World Wines on Day Two and, lastly, dessert and alternative wines on Day Three.”

The idea behind Wine Fiesta really started when Lim-Sheehy was doing a roadshow at a heartland shopping mall and everyone she approached was “too scared or intimidated to try the wine”. “I know wine always has had a reputation of being daunting and intimidating for the uninitiated and that mindset is what we are trying to eradicate,” she said. “Our philosophy has stayed the same, to provide an open platform to anyone interested in wine and make it accessible to all.”

Moritz Deyle, the Straits Wine Company’s deputy head of sales and sommelier added that the selection was curated to “represent a cross-section of wines ... that both aficionados and beginners can enjoy”.

But the value also lies in its exclusive line-up. “The wineries we work with are rather small, making no more than 6,000 cases of wine a year,” said Lim-Sheehy, adding that prices start from S$30, “depending on the where the wine is from, how many bottles are produced and whether it is a straight varietal or blend”. There will be winemakers and representatives from 82 wineries at Wine Fiesta to guide consumers, as well as masterclasses held every 45 minutes for varying levels of wine enthusiasts.

“It’s important to note that 95 per cent of the wines we work with are also not stocked at other wine shops and supermarkets,” Lim-Sheehy said. “(And) since we also deal directly with the wineries, we (are able to) offer very good value to our customers.”

NOT TOO MANY CHOICES

Meanwhile, Cold Storage’s International Wine Fair (from Oct 5 to 11 at Suntec City East Atrium), will showcase more than 200 wine labels at this year’s instalment, its seventh edition. “We work closely with winemakers, consolidators and distributors to not only showcase the best the world has to offer but a range that is wide enough for every novice and connoisseur to take an interest in,” said Melvin Goh, head of wines and spirits at Cold Storage. “Our main objective has always been to make these accessible to all, to educate and excite the public about the extensive range we carry.”

Goh said the wide variety of labels in this case is was due to the number of wine regions represented, such as Barossa, Mclaren Vale and Margaret River (Australia), Medoc and Saint-Emilion (Bordeaux, France); Toscana and Veneto (Italy); and Marlborough and Hawkes (New Zealand).

Highlights include wines exclusive to Cold Storage, such as labels from boutique producers Chateau Pey Mallet, which is located in the heart of the prestigious region of Haut-Medoc; and new-to-market wines such as top Burgundy wines from the Jean Bouchard winery, and Marie Stuart Champagne. A rare find, he added, are half-bottles of (Bordeaux) petite chateau wines, which are premium wines at extremely “good prices”.

These wines are not first growths, which would explain their affordability, but it “does not mean they are any less desirable”, Goh noted.

LOCALS IN MIND

Ewineasia.com, Singapore’s first online wine retailer, launched its Wine Discovery Weekend (WDW) last year, but this year’s edition (from Oct 17 to 18) is not merely a showcase for wines. The company is looking to offer more of “an experience”, with the theme, Discovering exceptional wines for everyone” said owner Susy Santoso.

“We worked with producers such as Champagne Boizel to include very special back vintages, such as its 1995 Joyau de France label, flown in direct from its cellars; it’s an experience that one cannot have ready access to,” she added.

Compared to the other two, WDW boasts a more conservative collection: 100 labels from 40 wineries. But its focus, Santoso explained, is on artisanal wines. These tell a unique story about their terroir and the winemaker’s winemaking philosophy, and are rarely produced in bulk, she added.

“For example, Yves Cuilleron from the Rhone Valley has embarked on a project where he is reviving and replanting ancient grape varietals that existed hundreds of years ago,” said Santoso. “We will also have Matt Dicey, winemaker from Mt Difficulty — a cult New Zealand pinot noir producer — who has earned international acclaim for being able to tell the story of New Zealand terroir with his range of wines.”

If all the talk about how the wines’ flavours and aromas are reminiscent of hay, violets and other foreign examples are leaving some feeling a little lost in the woods, visitors to the WDW will want to check out the Asian Wine Lexicon, a project that local wine author Edwin Soon, who also trained as a winemaker, started in 2006 with the mission to encourage the use of Asian descriptors to describe wine.

“Wine descriptors are based on one’s memories of taste,” Soon said, explaining why Asian alternatives would help locals better discern and relay their appreciation for the wine.

For example, Western descriptors for a viognier that include acacia, hay, cream, vanilla, apricot, peach, kiwi and fruit tart, could be replaced with jasmine flower, tangerine, persimmon, yellow plum, ginger bud, dried candid kumquat, star anise and ginger, Susanto shared.

“What the project hopes is to eventually work with wineries to develop tasting notes relevant for the Asian market.”

Speaking of that local touch, guests at Wine Fiesta 2015 can also purchase original dishes by four renowned Singaporean chefs. These include beef cheek rendang burger with achar and cheddar cheese by The Rabbit Stash’s Matthew Mok; grilled buah keluak and garlic and chilli sausages by Malcolm Lee of Candlenut; a cherry cheesecake “creamsicle” by Bjorn Shen of Artichoke; and chouquettes with dark chocolate served with a lemon curd dip from Tarte by Cheryl Koh.

Now these are definitely worth another toast.

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