To judge by the packed crowd at the Pinot Noir Masterclass organised
by local wine merchant Crystal Wines, market sentiment has firmly
shifted away from the overextracted fruit bombs that dominated in the
last decade. The grape that has all the limelight at the moment is Pinot
Noir, a variety that has spread so widely across the world that it
rivals Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in terms of recognisability. An
unlikely turn of events and one that shows what secret masochists
winemakers are, as Pinot Noir is one of the most persnickety members of
the vinifera family. Its early budding makes it susceptible to spring
frosts and it has the same resistance to fungal diseases and viruses as a
new-born baby. Yet its enchanting perfume and ethereal silkiness make
it the Holy Grail for wine devotees. Chaired by Olly Masters, winemaker at Misha’s Vineyard, the guest
panel was made up of well-known figures in Singapore’s wine scene
including wine writer, educator and judge Lim Hwee Peng, and sommelier
Gerald Lu. As Misha Wilkinson (owner of Misha’s Vineyard) put it, we
would be hearing about Pinot Noir from several different perspectives – a
person who makes Pinot Noir, a person who educates about Pinot Noir,
and a person who selects and serves Pinot Noir. Not to forget a whole
audience of people who drink Pinot Noir! Featured wines included Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Chile, USA,
Australia, Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago, the latter
three being from New Zealand. About the lineup, Misha commented that
“It's not just a Pinot Noir masterclass but also about New Zealand's
place in the world because we are representing three New Zealand regions
in a global context.” We would be tasting the wines blind, but some
hints were given by Olly, who pointed out that New World Pinot Noir had
more overt fruit characters of red cherry, black cherry, raspberry,
strawberry and plum while Old World Pinot Noir had more savoury and
farmyard characteristics. With age, Pinot Noir tends to develop notes of
mushroom and spice. On pairing Pinot Noir with food, Olly stated that it is the most
versatile of red wines as it matches with more food than any other.
Thanks to gentle tannins, it can be paired with a variety of dishes
including grilled salmon, lamb, venison, game birds such as pheasant and
turkey, and even vegetables such as mushrooms. In a local context, I
have found it an excellent match with roast duck and dim sum. Tasting the wines blind had the effect of removing any
preconceptions about the relative merits of each wine. In hindsight, the
Burgundy was the odd one out, with barnyard and earthy notes that
hinted at its origins. I found all three of the New Zealand Pinot Noirs
excellent, with bright fruit and jewel-like intensity. The Oregon and
Chilean Pinot Noirs led me astray, as I expected a more impressive
showing from the former and vice versa. Looking at the price points for these wines, one can immediately
notice that Pinot Noir commands a substantial premium over other wines.
Add to that the high markups that restaurants and hotels charge on wine
and it can be difficult to sell Pinot Noir on-trade. Gerald also
highlighted the challenge of maintaining the right temperature when
serving Pinot Noir. “A bucket with ice and no water is the ideal way to
bring a bottle of Pinot Noir to the perfect temperature of 14°C. The
bottle should be cool to the touch and when poured into a glass it
should condense a little but not to the point that the whole glass
condenses.” Hwee Peng had the following advice for those looking to add
Pinot Noir to their wine lists: “When it comes to inventory, you want to
look for a Pinot Noir that shows well from now at the point of tasting
until probably a year later, because a wine list changes every twelve
months or so.” It’s good news that Pinot Noir acreage is expanding worldwide,
especially since Burgundy has now found favour in the Chinese market
leading to the inevitable price increase. As the tasting showed, these
New World regions offer remarkable quality at affordable (for Pinot
Noir) price levels. Tasting notes: Maison Kerlann “Cuvee H” Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2009 (SGD53) - Slightly
musty and barnyard-like on the nose with notes of wet clay. Light
bodied with soft tannins, lacking in primary fruit character. Montes Alpha Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir 2010 (SGD50) - Leafy
with sweet cherry notes, cinnamon and orange peel. High alcohol, giving
an impression of sweetness, but well integrated. Expressive fruit and
varietal character. Domaine Drouhin Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010 (SGD93) -
Slightly closed with notes of red cherries and oak. Shows freshness but
on the whole lacking interest. The producer has a good track record
though so perhaps this wine is going through a quiet phase. Bindi Composition Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2011 (SGD93) -
Noticeable vanilla, cream and woody notes, with boiled sweets and slight
gaminess. Quite overt, thickly layered with a candied sweetness to the
fruit. Lively acidity provides a lift to this wine and prevents it from
becoming flabby. Very good. Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 (SGD95) - Crushed
strawberries and leafy notes framed by a suggestion of oak. Silky
texture with apparent warmth on the palate. Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010 (SGD73) - Brilliant
purplish crimson hue. Nervy acidity, layers of red fruits, strawberry
and plums, exuding magnificent intensity and poise. Misha’s Vineyard Verismo Pinot Noir 2009 (SGD77) - An elegant and
layered nose of cloves and small red berries gives way to intense
redcurrant and raspberry notes on the palate. Showing gorgeous precision
and length. All wines available from Crystal Wines.
While the fine dining scene in Singapore has exploded in recent years, restaurant corkage policies remain somewhat murky. The right to bring your own wine to a restaurant, or BYO, remains a contentious issue, as it means that restaurants are unable to make profits from the sale of their own wine. It is not uncommon for restaurants to mark up the price of a wine to twice the amount or more of its retail price.
The following list details the corkage policies of various fine dining restaurants in Singapore (and is also available at www.thelocalnose.com/index.php/corkage-fees/22). In general, you’ll find restaurants serving Chinese cuisine to be more accepting of BYO, while some have instituted a 1-for-1 policy where corkage is waived for one bottle for each wine that you purchase from the restaurant. The latter allows the restaurant to earn a decent margin and also provides the customer with an opportunity to showcase that treasured bottle he picked up from some faraway country. Note that the charges below are subject to change. It is always a good idea to reconfirm with the restaurant when making a booking. Restaurants that have corkage free days or do not charge corkage at all are marked with a ✪.
Au Petit Salut (Contemporary French) www.aupetitsalut.com 40C Harding Road Singapore 249548 Tel: 6475 1976 CF: $50 per 750ml ($60 per 750ml on eve of / and Public Holidays)
Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House (Chinese) www.bluelotus.com.sg 31 Ocean Way #01-13 Quayside Isle Singapore 098375 Tel: 6339 0880 CF: $50 per 750ml (wine)
Brasserie Gavroche (Classic French) www.brasseriegavroche.com 66 Tras St Singapore 079005 Tel: 6225 8266 CF: 1-for-1
Broth (Australian) www.broth.com.sg 21 Duxton Hill Singapore 089604 Tel: 6323 3353 CF: $30 per 750ml (wine), $40 per 750ml (sparkling)
✪Burlamacco Ristorante (Classic Italian) burlamacco.com.sg 77 Amoy St Singapore 069896 Tel: 6220 1763 CF: Free corkage on Tuesday, $30 or 1-for-1 otherwise
✪ Coriander Leaf (Pan-Asian) www.corianderleaf.com 3A Merchant Court #02-03 River Valley Road Clarke Quay Singapore 179020 Tel: 6732 3354 CF: Free corkage on Tuesday (à la carte dining only, for tables up to 8 pax, up to 2 bottles per table, other T&Cs apply), $30++ per 750ml bottle otherwise
✪ De Classic Golden Spoon (Chinese) 62 Seng Poh Lane Singapore 160062 Tel: 6536 2218 CF: Free corkage all week
Fat Cow (Japanese inspired Steakhouse) www.fat-cow.com.sg 1 Orchard Blvd #01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre Singapore 248649 Tel: 6735 0308 CF: $50 per 750ml bottle and 1-for-1
Garibaldi (Italian) www.garibaldi.com.sg 36 Purvis Street #01-02 Singapore 188613 Tel: 6837 1468 Wine list: www.garibaldi.com.sg/menu.html CF: $50 per 750ml bottle and 1-for-1 Gunther’s (Modern French) www.gunthers.com.sg 36 Purvis Street, #01-03 Singapore 188613 Tel: 6338 8955 CF: S$70 for 750ml wine bottle / S$70 for a bottle champagne / Buy one from wine list and bring one free of charge
Iggy’s (Modern European/Asian/Australian) www.iggys.com.sg The Hilton Hotel 581 Orchard Rd Singapore 238883 Tel: 6732 2234 CF: $50++ per 750ml bottle and 1-for-1
✪Imperial Treasure (Chinese) Various outlets CF: Free corkage all week ✪Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant (Chinese) 583 Orchard Road, B1-13 Forum the Shopping Mall Singapore 238884 Tel: 6732 6628 Wine list: www.jadepalace.com.sg/wine.html CF: Free corkage all week
Keystone Restaurant (Modern European) www.keystonerestaurant.com.sg 11 Stanley Street Singapore 068730 Tel: 6221 0046 CF: $55 per bottle (750ml) or 1 for 1 La Nonna (Traditional Italian country) lanonna.sg 76 Namly Place Singapore 267226 Tel: 6762 1587 CF: $35 per 750ml (wine), $45 per 750ml (sparkling/liquor)
Lawry’s The Prime Rib (Western) www.lawrys.com.sg 333A Orchard Road #04-01/31 Mandarin Gallery Mandarin Orchard Singapore 238897 Tel: 6836 3333 CF: $30++ for Standard Red / White Wine, $40++ for Sparkling Wine, Rose and Champagne (Per bottle) (January – October) $40++ for Standard Red / White Wine, $50++ for Sparkling Wine, Rose and Champagne (Per bottle) (November - December) Les Amis (Modern European) www.lesamis.com.sg 1 Scotts Road #02-16 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 Tel: 6733 2225 Wine list: www.lesamis.com.sg/LesAmis_winelist.pdf CF: $80 per bottle and 1-for-1
✪Mamounia Restaurant @ The Screening Room (Mediterranean) www.screeningroom.com.sg/fivefloors.html 12 Ann Siang Road Singapore 069692 Tel: 6221 1694 CF: Free corkage every Mon & Tue (à la carte dining only, for tables up to 8px; Up to 2 bottles per table; Other T&Cs apply)
✪New Ubin Seafood ubinseafood.wordpress.com #01-174, Block 27 Sin Ming Road Singapore 575680 Tel: 64669558 CF: Free corkage all week
Salt grill & Sky bar (Modern Australian) www.saltgrill.com 2 Orchard Turn ION Orchard #55-01 & #56-01 Singapore 238801 CF: $50 per 750ml bottle and 1-for-1
Saint Pierre (Modern French) www.saintpierre.com.sg 31 Ocean Way #01-15 Quayside Isle Singapore 098375 Tel: 6438 0887 CF: $50 per 750ml (wine)
Senso Ristorante & Bar (Italian) senso.sg 21 Club Street Singapore 069410 Tel: 6224 3534 CF: $50 per 750ml (wine), $60 per 750ml (sparkling/liquor)
Spizza (Pizzeria) www.spizza.sg Various outlets CF: $20 per 750ml (wine)
Sque Rotisserie & Alehouse www.sque.com.sg 6 Eu Tong Sen Street The Central #01- 70 Singapore 059817 Tel: 6222 1887 CF: $40 per 750ml (wine)/ $20 per 375ml (wine)/ $60 per 700ml – 750ml (spirits)
✪Table at 7 (Modern European and Gourmet Indonesian) www.tableat7.com 7 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 238957 Tel: 6836 6362 CF: Free corkage on Mondays, otherwise $30++ for wine or $50++ for sparkling per 750ml bottle or 1 for 1 ✪Wild Rocket www.wildrocket.com.sg Hangout Hotel 10A Upper Wilkie Road Singapore 228119 Tel: 6339 9448 CF: Free corkage on Tuesday, otherwise $25++ for wine, $35++ for sparkling, $50++ for magnums and $100++ for liquor.
