The French Cellar Opens Its Doors

How does a person with a PhD in biochemistry and an MBA end up running a wine business? For Vincent Morello, the simplistic answer would be that he’s French, and wine runs in his blood as much as Tiger Beer is part of the Singapore identity. However, the genesis for his wine affair really began while he was studying at the Essec Business School. As a member of the institution’s wine club, Vincent recalls many evenings where producers and wine experts would conduct wine seminars and share their knowledge.

The French Cellar, an online wine subscription website established by Vincent and his partner Eric Joubert aims to take the uncertainty and stress out of choosing wine. To achieve this they have enlisted the help of sommelier Nicolas Rebut, who is based in France, to seek out high quality wines at good value. Nicolas burnished his credentials working in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Le Louis XV in Monaco and Le Meurice in Paris. He is also the co-author of a book on food and wine pairing titled “Vins & mets : Une affaire de gout”. 

Members can select from three subscription plans and receive two bottles of wines every month from different regions of France, which come with tasting notes, region maps and food pairing advice (pictured left). For example, the November Cellar Icons selection consisted of a Vosne-Romanee "Les Genevrieres" 2009 and Nuits-Saint-Georges “Bas de Combe” 2007, both from acclaimed producer Domaine Leroy. The Tasting Voyage and Vineyard Gems series offer the opportunity to discover wines from producers that are relatively new or are based in less famous appellations. Pricing for the Vineyard Gems, Tasting Voyage and Cellar Icons start at SGD89, SGD155 and SGD1270 respectively, with slight reductions if a subscriber signs on for a longer duration. There is also an option to sign up for a monthly subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

Vincent hopes that people will be open to trying out something different. “Our idea was not to resell wines that are already available in Singapore. We wanted to bring in something new, which we can do because of Nicolas’s connections in the wine industry.” So far, it seems to be working. Vincent says that the most re-ordered wine was the 2011 Domaine Marcel Richaud featured in October. Hailing from the village of Cairanne in the Southern Rhone, the appellation is not particularly well known, but the winemaker is reputed to be one of the best in the region. Wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Languedoc-Roussillon are also available.

My tasting notes on a couple of the wines (kindly provided by Vincent) are available below, but why not judge for yourself? The French Cellar will be holding their second wine tasting on the 22nd of January at Artistry, 17 Jalan Pinang, Singapore 199149, from 7.00-9.00 pm. Check out the Facebook event page for more details.

Château Haut-Gazeau 2010 – Made from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The producer is located in Lussac Saint Émilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. Fruity and light with soft tannins, this wine is made for early drinking. Immediate charm with sweet, plummy fruit and minty notes.

Champagne Pannier 2005 – Made by the COVAMA cooperative, a union of growers. A promising nose of honey and wax, but the palate is bone dry with notes of green apple and lemon curd. A food friendly wine that is in its optimum drinking window now.