Dionysian Delights: Wine For Asia

I attended Wine for Asia 2007, which was touted as "Asia's most comprehensive wine exhibition", at the recommendation of Zea, a keen wine enthusiast. Not that I needed much encouragement to go, considering my own love of plonk and attempts at pretending to understand wine. Wine for Asia 2007 marked my first large scale wine exhibition and tasting, my only previous similar experience being an ale festival organised by the Oxford Union in my undergraduate days of which I have rosy (but somewhat befuddled) memories.

The event was indeed comprehensive with representatives from France, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa of course, but also more exotic wine growing locales such as Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary (which produces Tokay which would be familiar to readers of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials triology). My strategy was very simple if not exactly following the classic "spit and swallow" routine of the expert wine tasters - grab a glass and drink. Simple, effective and fun.

I made a beeline first for the Italian wines. I had grown fond of Italian wines, particularly from Toscana or Tuscany, after backpacking there during one summer break from Oxford. The classic wine from the Tuscan region remains their famous Chianti made from the Sangiovese grape. A Chianti (Classico and Superiore being the higher quality labels) has to be produced with at least 70% Sangiovese.

To me at least, a Chianti is dark and richly flavoured. The current practice of making a Chianti from a mixture of Sangiovese and classic old world grapes such as the Cabarnet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot (in the past only other Italian grape varietals could be used) has added to the richness and texture of the wine. The classic Chiantis also often incorporate a white grape (up to 10-15%) in the wine, adding to the aroma and making its flavour even more intriguing.

It was also wonderful to see a fine selection of different wines from the Piedmont region, probably second only to Toscana in terms of reknown in Italy for wine production. I had little previous tasting experience of the various Piedmont wines, so it was with some enthusiasm that I tried what was one offer. My only regret was that I couldn't try more of them. I have often bemoaned the fact that it is hard to obtain quality Italian wines in Singapore - particularly Chiantis and the various Piedmont wines, and I fervently hope that some of the wineries who attended Wine for Asia find local distributors soon.

At that point, I was dragged off by Zea to the German wine section where she specifically wanted to find a nice Riesling. She loves her Rieslings because they make wonderfully fruity and aromatic wines. I was less enthused, preferring my whites to be more on the dry side, though I find a fruity white enjoyable as long as it is finely balanced. A young Riesling's fruity flavour and floral fragrance means that it is popular among those who are not regular wine drinkers. I can't recall if Zea managed to find an Auslese which she was also keen on trying.

Among other highlights of the festival, I had a chance to try some high quality Chilean wine and some of the Hungarian Tokay (Zea was far more enthused - too sweet for my inclinations). It was also nice to see the marketing representative from the Cellar Door (a restaurant/bistro just down from my regular pub the Old Brown Shoe) with a selection from their fine stock of New Zealand wines. Zea was also quite taken with Bulgarian wines, admittedly in a large part due to the very charismatic man running the booth who tried to ensnare passerbyes with the well worn line "do you want to try the best wine here?" which was effective not so much for its worn cliche but the enthusiasm with which it was said.

One of the most intriguing finds I made at Wine for Asia wasn't a wine at all but actually an Australian Whisky named Sullivan's Cove and distilled in Tasmania. Before I chanced upon their stall, I would never imagine that there would be a Whisky distillery in Tasmania. They actually had three different ranges of Whisky on offer. The first was a single malt (40% ALC) with two wood types used in the maturation process - bourbon and port oak. Two others that were offered for tasting were rated as "cask strength" or 60% ALC - which is strong for a Whisky. The came matured in oak Bourbon casks and another in Port casks.

Having tasted all three, I was sorely tempted to buy one to bring home. I was intrigued by what Patrick at Azhang would have to say about it - especially the cask strength oak Bourbon matured one which was their trademark Whisky (particularly after getting a 95% rating from Whisky guru Jim Murray). However, their prices were quite steep with their normal single malt setting me back $120 and their cask strength ones priced at around $270. At those prices I could buy a good 18 year old Single malt scotch. I decided that I couldn't, in all consciousness, spend that much money for the sake of curiousity.

I definitely had a fantastic time at Wine for Asia 2007. There were so many wines on offer to be tasted that it would have been impossible to have a taste at every stall (let alone every wine) even if one had attended all three days of the event (and there were those that did). Suffice to say, Zea and myself left the event suffused in a warm glow of happiness.