01 Special delivery
Have your sights set on a bottle that is available only in Europe? Locally founded company Wines2U Asia provides a concierge service that helps you bring it in. Managing director Brendon Au shares an example: “A customer was looking for a Margaux from Chateau Ferriere 2006 in particular, and we managed to get a small parcel of this wine from France at a very good price. It’s an opportunity for wine lovers to not commit to a large quantity of the wine they want and to potentially enjoy it at a better price.”
02 Expect the unexpected
If receiving surprise packages are up your alley, local online platform The French Cellar offers curated subscription packages to surprise within a certain expectation. From basic Vineyard Gems, designed for those who like to explore unknown labels, to Grand Crus, which covers high-end wines like Les Cedres de Belle Brise, each of the four subscription programmes is designed to excite. All wines are selected by Nicolas Rebut, former chef-sommelier at three-Michelin-star restaurants Louis XV and Le Meurice.
03 Well secured
When you have secured that prized bottle, hand it over to supply chain management and integrated logistics solutions provider CWT, which will launch Singapore Wine Vault in the first quarter of 2015. Its storage space that can hold up to 10 million bottles of wine has three temperature zones. And you can even opt to have its customisable private-cellar concept fitted with a security camera – so you can keep an eye on your wine collection 24/7.
04 Dining with a difference
If your taste for adventure extends to how you enjoy wines, join some alternative wine-pairing dinners. Think champagnes paired with dim sum, pink wines with Indian food, and even a hawker food-wine tour. The most recent was held in June 2014 at Tiong Bahru Market, where a Chateau Fayolle Rose 2011 was paired with chwee kueh (pickled radish cakes) and BBQ pork, while a Les Vignerons de Chablis 2011 went well with a fishcake platter and oyster omelette.
05 Sommelier Says
Daunted by the idea of organising a wine dinner? Only for Wine – the new cellaring facility of local purveyor Wine Culture – offers not just wine storage, but also a round-the-clock e-sommelier service. Members will have access to advice and consultation from a wine professional via e-mail. Not quite sure what wine to pair with certain dishes on your menu? Just send over your questions and wait for a response within the next 24 hours.
