Alex - Here have what I know

We know how much you are partial to a drop of wine. But even though the options and choices are expanding in Singapore, finding a good wine is a hit and miss affair. So back by popular demand is the Expat Wine Club, which takes the unpredictability out of buying. For S$287.50, you get a two bottles each of the New World selection of Chain Of Ponds Novello Blanco, Pikes White Mullet, Te Hira Sauvignon Blanc, Jade River Cabernet Merlot, Taylor Ferguson Cabernet, and a Pyren Broken Quartz Shiraz. A selection that would normally set you back S$552.

For the traditionalist, S$404.45 buys you the Old World selection, which includes two each of Az Agr Mocali Rosso Toscana Fossetti IGT, Enzo Mecella Bianco Vino Vero di Matelica Pagliano, Camillo Montori Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC Montori, Domaine Lalande Chardonnay Sans Etiq, Fildefere Merlot and Pierre Henri Cabernet Sauvignon.

Buying is as simple as logging on to www.theexpat.com. And we’ll do the rest. Cheers!
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1) Top Italian: it is regarded as one of the top five Italian wines, alongside Brunellos, Barolos, Chianti Classicos and Barbarescos.

2) The Full Name: Amarone delta Valpolicella. This means that it is made in the certified appellation (DOCG) of Valpolicella, in Veneto.

3) The Real Meaning: Amarone actually means ‘big bitter’. in the past, producers only made a sweet red wine, called recioto’ in Valpolicella. During the immediate post World War II period, a producer left the recioto in the barrique for a longer period of time. The sugars in the wine were transformed to alcohol, and this second style of wine stayed on and became popular. A wonderful mistake, no less!
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The trend towards premiumization is sweeping through the beer industry with brands like Heineken revamping their looks. Earlier this year, Heineken unveiled its sleek new l-Cone bottle, designed by French wunderkind, Ora Ito, at a fashionable launch party in Amsterdam.

Made of aluminum, the new design is now available in the Netherlands and France. No word yet on whether it’s coming to Asia) though.

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Popular producer of quality syrups Monin launched its newest flavor: cucumber. Why not use the real thing, you ask? Fresh cucumber juice has a very short shelf life and loses its flavor quickly.

To further enhance the taste of the syrup, Monin’s culinary manager Alexandre Lapierre suggests “rimming you martini or margarita glass with salt”.

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Absolut and Maxxium launched its 11th Absolut flavoured vodka in Singapore. Absolut Mango, with a sweet and natural mango flavour, is great for making cocktails such as frozen mango, mango breeze and mango tonic.

It is full bodied with hints of tropical fruitiness, and is a highly versatile product for making cocktails. (more…)

The story behind Krug’s Clos D’ambonnay 1995 is the stuff of legends. Produced from grapes grown in the tiny walled vineyard of the Clos d’Ambonnay, it was secretly fermented for 12 years. It has “an intense copper-gold color and a rich, creamy bouquet with distinctive hints of ripe fruit and freshly toasted brioche.”

There are only24 bottles of this vintage available in Singapore. Contact the Moet Hennessy Diageo Sales Department at +65-6838 9800 for more information.

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Bombay Sapphire has teamed up with Karim Rashid, French luxury house Baccarat and jewelry house, Garrard to create the limited edition Revelation. There are only five such bottles in the world, and each is priced at US5200,000.

The Revelation is on display at five airports - London’s Heathrow, New York, Singapore, Dubai and Sydney. All profits go to The Smile Train, a charity that provides cleft palate surgery to children in poverty-stricken countries.
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There is no need to fear burning a hole in your pocket the next time you are presented with a wine list at your dine-out. Restaurants are now introducing wine lists that are interesting, fun and best of all… affordable.

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#1: Don’t be afraid to ask the sommelier. If you are not sure, just let him know your budget, the style of wines you like, and ask for a few recommendations.

#2: When in doubt, or when you don’t want to drink too much, just go for the house wine.

#3: Smell your wine glass before the wine is poured. Sometimes, glasses that have been stored in a cardboard box for too long or have not been cleaned properly tend to have a slightly musky smell, which is a waste as it mars the aromas of a wine. Ask for an immediate change if the glass smells funny.

#4: Afraid of corked wines? Ask for a bottle that comes with a screwcap, and you will be cork-taint-safe.

#5: If you insist on pouring the wines, know that you should always serve the lady first. Should you not be able to finish the bottle, just ask the restaurant to put the unfinished bottle in a bag for you, and as long as you pump the air out and seal the wine, you can enjoy it for a day or two at home.
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