Like HCMC today, the Bangkok foreigner scene of old thrived close to the river. These days, however, I never really think to set foot down there. It’s the kind of place you visit once, the first time you come to the city… King’s Palace, check. Emerald & Reclining Buddha, check. Either the Oriental or Shangrila for tea or brunch, check. Then for most who live in the city (unless they work nearby) the river is a distant memory. This has more to do with the difficulty and time it takes to get down to the river than what’s on offer. But, if you wait till Sunday brunch time, with no traffic… the other side of the river is accessible in about 20 minutes tops and you don’t even have to wait for a ferry. This is the perfect time to venture out to Trader Vic’s massive brunch/lunch buffet spread.

Trader Vic’s is… well Trader Vics. Check out their pages if you don’t already know. Sure they’re a chain, but so are Four Seasons and Orientals. And they can be a bit dated in decoration style… unless you still rock a photographer’s vest, the sandal and sock look, cargo khaki shorts, or all of the above. But ignoring all that, this place has some great food.

I was seriously floored by the selection and availability of foods here. I walked in and saw immediately to my left a sushi bar complete with fresh sashimi and rolls. The quality of the fish was high for a buffet and featured real tuna… deep red and not neon pink like most of the cheap sushi buffets. Nearby there was also an oyster and caviar bar with freshly shucked oysters and a wide sampling of exotic caviar.

Then to my immediate right I saw not one, but two beautifully cured pig legs. I loved the Italian sausage and meat section and ate more than my fair share of prosciutto, mortadella, and others.

Next… well it’s Southeast Asia and we have seafood in abundance. Trader Vic’s has it fresh and ready to hit the grill. Fresh crabs, prawns, lobsters, and fillets of fish are available for grilling… mmm.

Speaking of grilling, Trader Vic’s pulls a trained Benihana chef over for the lunch feast. Here you can have a steak (or other meat, but really with steak are you gonna have chicken?) expertly cooked and cut in front of you. Sadly they don’t toss prawns in your mouth while waiting in line, but it’s a free bonus that’s very welcome.

Then there’s some beautiful meats sliced freshly at the carving table. Yup, that was a bone in ribeye in the background there with fresh sauces.

A first for me at a foreigner friendly Sunday eating extravaganza – roast duck. I’m not Peking Duck expert, but the birds on offer here were nearly as crispy and succulent as the lauded Made in China… and best of all it was part of a buffet so I was free to come and go as I pleased (and I pleased a lot )

Then there was the cheese spread. I loved the layout, thoughtfully done on a tree log. It featured cheeses of many regions and styles. The accompanying real honey comb honey was a nice touch to the section.

Another notable station was the Som Tam station – fresh ingredients pounded to order.

Last but certainly not least was the pastry spread. There’s a well skilled and happy to produce patissier somewhere in the kitchen here. Pastries ranged from delicate small bites to  French classic cakes. Also there was a range of seemingly home made ice cream on offer (not pictured).

Trader Vics really surprised me. I’ve visited some epic buffet spreads and this one sits near the top of the list. Not only is there a ton on offer, the price is super reasonable as you can opt in or out of the booze. I can’t believe the amount and quality of food I was able to enjoy for under 50 USD (around 1700 THB). I’d recommend it highly to anyone… whether first time Bangkok traveler looking to explore the river area or jaded expat needing a break from the Four Seasons or Sukhothai brunches.

Trader Vic’s
Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa
257 Charoennakorn Road
Thornburi, Bangkok 10600
THAILAND
Tel: 66 (0) 2476 0022
Fax: 66 (0) 2476 1120

Bubbly wine tasting debunks the ‘has to be expensive’ and ‘has to be French’ myth

We were invited to a blind bubbly wine tasting by our friends at The Local Nose.  The idea of the event was to taste both champagnes and sparkling wines of all price points and from various regions to see if one could discern the difference between champagne vs. sparkling wine, and expensive vs. inexpensive.

For Paul and I it was an interesting and illuminating experience. I am a self-professed bubbly addict  – Prosecco, Cava, Champagne, you name it, I love it. And Paul is just discovering the joys of the bubbly in recent years. Ostensibly we should be miles apart with regard to bubbly expertise. But actually this is not the case….on the scoring card, we got exactly the same number of questions right. In other words we tied. Tied! Were all my years of “investment” in bubbly drinking experiences and tours of vineyards all for naught?

Well, no. But here’s what I learned at the blind bubbly tasting event:

1) It doesn’t have to be expensive to be high quality
One of my favorites was a S$36 ($26 USD) bottle of Austrian NV Szigeti Brut. A dry, drinkable champagne with a bit of citrus and a wonderfully clean finish. Perfect for aperitifs. And for this price, perhaps I should start drinking this instead of water

2) Veuve Clicquot, my usual favourite, has been given a run for its money!
It turns out my absolute favourite for the evening was Champagne Moutard Brut, S$60 ($43 USD). While more expensive than the Austrian wine above, when compared to my usual pick of Veuve Clicquot at a price of S$88 ($63 USD), this is an exceptional value! It’s light and citrusy, with a tiny hint of floral and a soft finish.

3)    At the end of the day, it’s just about what you like
I was reminded to trust my taste buds, rather than fancy labels or the popular masses. Sure you can buy that bottle whose label will be universally recognized and will impress your guests…or you can surprise and delight your guests with your discerning palate and the ability to discover lesser known gems.

So get out there and discover some fantastic champagnes and sparkling wines. Please don’t relegate this majestic drink to the odd and in between special occasion. And above all, trust your palate….as we learned, it doesn’t matter what it costs or what’s on the label, just enjoy.

Some local resources to help you get your bubbly on!:

The Local Nose, Singapore
A helpful website all about wines in Singapore.

Wines2u
Great value French wines delivered to your door in Singapore. Stocks the $60 Moutard Brut mentioned above.

Rubicon Reserve Wines
A Singapore distributor with an extensive list of old and new world wines. Stocks the S$38 Szigeti mentioned above.

Count the number of sparking/champagnes tasted (Not pictured, our welcome drink & one bottle in flight 3 )

Stunning presentation, impeccable service and inventive, modern French cuisine

It was Paul’s birthday, so it had to be special…something out of the ordinary and truly impressive. After much consideration I selected Gunther’s, #7 on the Miele Guide’s list for top restaurants in Asia. I think what got me, besides its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Singapore, was the idea of a menu-less, 8-course tasting dinner designed on the spot by the chef (who trained in a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris). The idea of every course being a surprise sounded exhilarating and like just the kind of unique experience I was looking to share with Paul on his special day.

And in fact, everything about our experience was absolutely flawless. When we entered  the restaurant we were treated like VIPs (and I didn’t even mention to them it was a birthday). They took my bag and carried it for me…lest I be perturbed with even the smallest nuisance of shouldering my laptop…and ushered us to our table. We were immediately greeted and the waiter did something I have never seen before….he brought the raw ingredients of today’s specials on a platter to our table for us to see them first hand. There was an impressive array of kuroge wagyu beef, lobster (still moving!), crab legs, a leg of Spanish ham on a carving tray, and a magnificent truffle covered by a domed plate. If there was any question about having the tasting menu, this completely removed it.

As we ordered the tasting menu, they asked if we had any special dislikes or dietary issues. I personally don’t like carpaccios (raw sliced meats / fish), and since I had seen these on the menu I decided to mention that. No judgment, no snooty derision…just a respectful reply of “of course madame.” We were asked if we would like the paired wine tasting as well….I said “yes”, Paul opted for “no” since he was getting over a cold. And with that the fun began…

1^st course
Japanese tomatoes with balsamic reduction and Spanish Ham

Why does everything Japanese taste better?….small, sweet and perfectly ripe tomatoes were an absolute delight with the Spanish ham. The balsamic vinegar served to cut the heaviness of the ham and the sweetness of the tomato and the result was perfect harmony.

2^nd course
Scallop carpaccio with tomato (for Paul) and grilled scallop with tomato (for me)

A stunning, simple presentation…..perfectly grilled in my case, and delicately seasoned and garnished in Paul’s case.

3^rd course
Capellini with caviar and white truffle

The domed truffle was no doubt used for this simple yet intensely flavourful dish. The earthly aroma wafted up from our dishes and I am pretty sure we didn’t speak as we silently savoured this dish. And in fact, it reminded Paul of a famous Eric Ripert dish from Le Bernardin in NYC.

4^th course
Cepe mushroom with scamorza cheese

Again, simple but harmonious combination of ingredients resulting in a delicate, yet satisfying mouthful.

5^th course
Alaskan king crab with chili oil in a pasta shell

Beautifully presented and judiciously seasoned, a lovely a light mouthful before the heavier courses.

6^th course
Kuroge wagyu beef grilled with corn and potato croquettes

Meat and potatoes if you get right down to it….but this is no average meat, the pinnacle of beef from an ancient stock of Japanese black-haired cattle. So tender and juicy it melts in your mouth. And the simplest item on the dish, the corn, was remarkably fresh and amazingly sweet.

7^th course
Pan-fried scamorza cheese, white truffle and Spanish ham

It’s hard to say what was my favourite course – it was a toss up between this one and the kuroge beef. There is no more classic combination than ham and cheese and when elevated with the best quality ingredients plus white truffles…well, something classic becomes something divine.

8^th course
Apple tart with rum raisin ice cream + compliments of the chef mini macaroons, valhrona chocolate, cannelles and cookies

A creative take on a classic was the perfect finish to a truly perfect meal. I am also a sucker for macaroons, so I was delighted to have the added and unexpected bonus of these and other wonderful cookies and chocolates.

It’s not often we write a review without a hint of constructive criticism….but Gunther’s was in fact as flawless a meal and dining experience as we have had in years. Every detail was considered and perfectly executed in every part of the service….from the inventive presentations to the masterful, yet simple flavour combinations to the highly attentive but somehow unobtrusive wait staff. OK, our experience was expensive…it cost us around $800 SGD for the chef’s tasting menu for 2 with 1 person doing the wine pairing (with service and GST), but I do believe it was totally worth it. But don’t be scared off by our bill…if you order a la carte off the menu, entrees can be had for $38 – 75 SGD, so not every meal has to be as extravagant as ours was.

Honestly, the bar has been set so high now by Gunther’s in Singapore that I struggle to imagine a better meal at any restaurant in any country. Our immediate circle of friends may well be tired of hearing about our culinary masterpiece of a meal, but we never seem to tire of talking about it. If you haven’t been there yourself, revisit your calendar and make it happen – a culinary story of your own awaits.

Gunther’s
36 Purvis Street, #01-03
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6338 8955

Ever been at a wine tasting, dinner party, or other event featuring wine and some know-it-all (probably with a beard and wearing a sweater) swirls his glass vigorously and then tilts the glass sideways to observe the streaking wine (wine legs)? Don’t feel bad if you believed the explanation that followed explaining that this was a good wine because it had “nice legs” or some other nonesense. This is one of the most persistent wine myths around. Read the explanation of why wine “has legs” (or “tears” for our francophile readers) after the jump.

The fact that a wine has more legs tells you absolutely nothing about the wine’s quality. Let’s just make sure that’s clear from the get go.

This answer, from Wikipedia, is pretty thorough and explains the science behind what you see happening in the glass.

The effect is a consequence of the fact that alcohol has a lower surface tension than water. If alcohol is mixed with water inhomogeneously, a region with a lower concentration of alcohol will pull on the surrounding fluid more strongly than a region with a higher alcohol concentration. The result is that the liquid tends to flow away from regions with higher alcohol concentration. This can be easily and strikingly demonstrated by spreading a thin film of water on a smooth surface and then allowing a drop of alcohol to fall on the center of the film. The liquid will rush out of the region where the drop of alcohol fell.

Wine is mostly a mixture of alcohol and water, with dissolved sugars, acids, colourants and flavourants. Where the surface of the wine meets the side of the glass, capillary action makes the liquid climb the side of the glass. As it does so, both alcohol and water evaporate from the rising film, but the alcohol evaporates faster, due to its higher vapor pressure and lower boiling point. This change in the composition of the film causes its surface tension to increase – this in turn causes more liquid to be drawn up from the bulk of the wine, which has a lower surface tension because of its higher alcohol content. The wine which moves up the side of the glass then forms droplets which fall back under their weight.

So there you go. Nothing at all to do with the quality of the wine. Feel free to stop the phenomenon and drive your point home if anyone doesn’t believe you by covering the wine glass with a coaster or menu and watch the legs of the wine stop developing. Do keep swirling the wine, however, as this actually aerates the wine allowing you a better smell.

The only question left is what to do with your newly acquired information? Do you speak up and put the know-it-all on the spot? Do you just let it go and say nothing with a smug smile on your face?

Paul

Thanks to everyone who came for making our second Accidental Epicurean Event a great evening. Also a big thank you to our sponsors for the evening. Suresh and the staff of El Toro Restrobar provided a cool, calm, and casual venue for us…just the right Latin vibe we needed for the night. Chris from PengWines was informative and the wines were wonderful. Anyone who can get their hands on the King from PengWines needs to do so quickly before it runs out, it’s a true stand-out wine. (pics after the jump)

The night started with a traditional Chilean drink – the Pisco Sour and never really stopped. One white wine, a rose, and into three different reds (with a bonus appearance of PengWines multi-award winning King for those that stayed late). The food came out on passed trays throughout the night…lovely bites of food ranging from quesadillas to guacamole infused prawns charred nicely on the grill to perfectly grilled squid (not even a tiny bit rubbery) to Latin inspired mussels.

There was a lucky draw with one winner getting a goodie bag and free bottle of Humboldt from Pengwines.

Two other lucky guests received vouchers for 50 SGD at El Toro

The evening was billed as 7-9 p.m. but guests stayed, talked, and drank till long after 11! There were a few repeats from the last event, but also a lot of new faces present. All in all it was another great turnout and fantastic event if I can be so bold. We’re looking forward to October’s event (maybe a beer event this time around? maybe another wine…we’ll let you know soon). If you’re not already on our mailing list be sure to sign up to find out first about upcomming Accidental Epicurean events and promotions.

Thanks,
Paul

Our first event as “Accidental Epicurean Events” went off wonderfully last night. Another big thank you goes out to our event sponsors – Epicurious, Underground Wines, and Divine MedSpa. Helena from Epicurious, Sianne from UW, and Christine from Divine MedSpa were so relaxed, calm, and generally cool and that vibe came through to our guests making for a really great evening. (pictures of guests at bottom of post)

The wine tasting took place in the Epicurious garden down by the quay. The weather was wonderful last night and near perfect for an outdoor event (maybe 5 degrees less would have been great ). I’ve only been to Epicurious in the morning so it was nice to enjoy the peaceful setting of the restaurant in the evening as the sun was setting over the quay.

Guests sampled from a selection of 4 white and 4 red New Zealand Wines at the event.

Mt Rosa Riesling 2006, Central Otago, New Zealand

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand

Whitehaven Pinot Gris 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand

Bushmere Estate Chardonnay 2006, Gisborne, New Zealand

Lime Rock Pinot Noir 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand

Mt Rosa Pinot Noir 2007,Central Otago, New Zealand

Unison Merlot/ Cab Sauv/ Shiraz Blend 2007, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Gladstone Rose 2008, Wairapara, New Zealand

The highlights, as often is the case in this heat with wines, were the whites. Specifically the Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Many guests told me that they normally are stronger fans of red wines, but the whites here turned their tastes… at least for the night. Standouts from the Reds included the Unison and Mt Rosa Pinot Noir. All the wines were good, but it was surprising how notable the whites were complimented by the very attractive prices Underground offered at the event. I’ve paid almost as much on a glass of wine at some restaurants in Singapore.

Epicurious paired foods with each of the wines. Foods included, the highlight of the night for most guests, Shredded chicken and cabbage salad with Asian herbs and lime vinaigrette & Epicurious Vietnamese bolognaise.

Delicious crabcakes with hot and sour dipping sauce & Epicurious cheese on toast.

Epicurious mini burger (I will be coming at lunchtime for a full size version of this burger soon!) & crispy chicken wings.

And lastly a 5-spice duck and hazelnut crostini & smoked salmon tartare (unfortunately my pictures of this dish didn’t come out).

They also provided light nibbles for in-between wines or to cleanse the palate. You must try the Tom Yam Pop Corn, it’s really remarkable and I’d love to see it served in a movie theater!

As a surprise to our guest, the folks from Divine Med provided not only a 400 SGD spa voucher for our lucky draw but also gave out chair massages to those in attendance to enjoy in between sips of wine. The addition of chair massages for the guests elevated the event from enjoyable to truly special and almost indulgent.

The winner of the lucky draw.

Thanks again to our sponsors and guests. We’re looking forward to making these events a monthly occurrence so if you missed this one stay tuned for our next event in Singapore.

Paul

Hey all,
In the few months we’ve been running Accidental Epicurean , we’ve taken the website from 1500 readers to over 13,800 last month! We’ve put up over 100 informative posts on food, wine, spas, hotels, and different Asian cities. Now it’s time for another new feature at Accidental Epicurean…the hosted event.

“Stumbling upon the good life” involves more than just reading about wines, foods, etc. You need to get out and try things for yourself, deciding what interests you. So we’ve teamed up with various venues and product providers around town in order to bring you some unique flavors and experiences you might not have discovered on your own. And we’re striving to give you these opportunities in a safe, unpretentious environment where it’s OK to not know all the right things to say or do.

Next week on the 12th of August we’ll be hosting our first event with the great folks of Epicurious and Underground Wines. Epicurious will provide light bites of Asian fusion to pair with the New Zealand wines provided by Underground Wines. Better still you get to sample 6 out of 8 wines… this way you’re not forced to take a predetermined 6 wines even if you don’t particularly like a grape or varietal. This way you can get what you want and even team up with a friend or guest to sample the other two

The wines being offered are:

• Mt Rosa Riesling 2006, Central Otago, New Zealand
• Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Whitehaven Pinot Gris 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Bushmere Estate Chardonnay 2006, Gisborne, New Zealand
• Sherwood Estate Pinot Noir 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Mt Rosa Pinot Noir 2007,Central Otago, New Zealand
• Unison Merlot/ Cab Sauv/ Shiraz Blend 2007, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
• Gladstone Rose 2008, Wairapara, New Zealand

If you are a faithful Singapore reader or just in town on the 12th please make a point of RSVPing today. We’re keeping the event smaller at only 40 or so people and things are filling up quickly already. If you miss this event, look for more in the future and if you’re a venue or product provider interested in partnering with us in the future please drop us a line via the contact page.

Thanks,
Paul

A quiet little place, with an endless wine list, tucked away on Duxton Hill

We were searching, maybe a bit too late at 9pm, on a Friday night for a place on Duxton Hill to have dinner. Walking up and down the cobble-stoned hill lined with conservation shop houses, we were surprised to see that most restaurants were quiet. This seemed a bit surprising on a Friday night – and further stumped us on our selection…as when in doubt in Singapore one always follows the crowd as food-loving Singaporeans seem to have an instinctual drive for good food. Maybe we should have left at this point for more crowded environs, but we decided to be adventurous and try The Universal.

We were warmly greeted and seated immediately and I can say that the service was quite good throughout the meal, although to be fair we were one of two tables in the restaurant.  It wasn’t a great start that the bread was stale – hard and chewy in all the wrong places. We were however encouraged by what seemed to be a menu inspired for wine pairings and the wine list overflowed with an endless array of options.

I ordered the Coq Au Vin ($28SGD), chicken braised in red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms and croutons. The presentation was perfect, but sadly the taste was lacking…overseasoned with salt and a bit dry…overall the dish failed to please.

Paul had the Beef Bourguignon ($30 SGD), beef braised in red wine with vegetables and mashed potatoes. While it was good, it was not great, and Paul just felt like it wasn’t worth its suggested price tag.

Our fellow diners had the Pan Seared Cod ($33 SGD) with coco bean ragout, onion and cream sauce and the Crispy Duck Leg Confit ($34 SGD) with mashed potatoes, glazed vegetables and a red date sauce. While the cod was overcooked, the duck actually was quite good…the skin deliciously crispy (as promised) and the inside moist and succulent as it is when duck is well-prepared.

I wish I could say we loved this place – it was a well designed restaurant with tasteful aesthetics, a long wine list and close to our house! In the final equation it is lovely quiet place with excellent Duck Confit, but overall we just didn’t feel that the rest of the dishes lived up to the promise of the menu descriptions and were not the best value for the price.

The Universal Restaurant and Wine Bar
36 Duxton Hill
Telephone: +65 6325 0188

This Saturday we attended another wine tasting event way out on the West Coast at Nook. We randomly received the invite on Facebook and were thinking of letting the offer pass, but I felt like we were stuck in our Orchard/Chinatown/Quay bubble and should venture out. I’m glad we did.

Nook is located a bit of a drive outside our usual Singapore comfort zone. If I were still in Texas it would be like going to see a friend just a couple suburbs away… I wouldn’t bat an eye at the distance, but a little time in Singapore and suddenly a 20 minute drive is far off

The event was hosted by a young upstart networking group, Touche Singapore. The event was co-hosted by a couple different wine suppliers – one who focuses on Spanish Wines and another that focuses more on Greek and other European wines. There were some interesting wines from regions previously unknown to me. For instance the first wine, a Greek Sparkling featured in the film Mama Mia… I’ve never even thought of Sparkling Wines from Greece.

The wines tasted:

1st wine – Sparkling
Cair Brut
from Greece
featured in Mamma Mia
awarded Gold in Monde Selection Bruxelle in Milan
tasting notes: athiri grapes, blend of apricot and freshly baked bread

2nd wine – White
Dona Rosa Cosecha 2005
from Spain
tasting notes: alberino grapes, tastes like orchard fruits, goes well with oysters and seafood

3rd wine – Red
Semeli 2005
from Greece
tasting notes: Cabernet Sauvignon and St George grapes, means “Mother of God of Wines” in Greek, medium bodied red

4th wine – Red
Nero D’Avola 2006
from Sicily, Italy
tasting notes: full bodied red

5th wine – Red
Ribas del Cua, Mencia 2006
from Bierzo region, Spain
tasting notes: comparable to French Cabernet Franc, very dry, earthy, full bodied

6th wine – Limoncello
Don’t have the bottle name, but similar in taste and flavor to most Limoncello liqueurs I’ve tasted previously.

The event was a nice change of pace. With the exception of Joanna and myself all of the attendees were Singaporean. We met a nice lady who used to work in Wine retail who has been putting us in contact with other events and distributors so our wine network here will continue to expand and grow and we can pass on the info to you

I enjoyed the pace of the event. They didn’t get too involved with the tasting or over share unneeded info, but provided basic grape info and characteristics. Also the Spanish Tapas (from house chef who is really from Spain) provided were simple and refreshing and worked well with the different flavors. We were treated to potatoes in tortilla, mussels with salsa, and bread with grilled vegetables amongst other items.

The one small gripe I have is that they forced people to shuffle. This is normally a good thing as you have an excuse to meet new people, but since we were the only westerners we had to answer the same series of questions again and again LOL (yes we like Singapore, it is different from Bangkok, etc).

Anyone else have any Greek or Spanish wine knowledge or favorites to share? Please put them up in the comments section. Would love to expand my wine knowledge beyond the key areas.

Nook Cafe Wine Bar
15 Chu Lin Road
Tel: 6762 9901

For Greek wines contact:
Kevin Yeow
Tel: (65) 96895268
Email: Kevin@WineCaviar.com
Web:   http://www.WineCaviar.com

Paul

Some exciting and well-priced wines from Astrolabe Winery, New Zealand presented by Rubicon Reserve Wines

I have an irrational exuberance for Sauvignon Blanc. Which is strange – because in general I prefer red wine. Big robust, peppery reds..Brunello, Cabernet Sauvugnon, Barolo, Tempranillo, Malbec and Amarone. So it is incongruous that a crisp, minerally Sauvignon Blanc would set my heart on fire. But it does.

So when we heard that Astrolabe Wines was doing a tasting in Singapore that included the latest version of their Sauvignon Blanc that was recognized as the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc at the International Wine Show in 2008 in London, we simply had to go.

The tasting was hosted by Speakeasy. Speakeasy Singapore is on a delightfully charming colonial street in Singapore, Blair Road, and amplifies this old world feel by channelling the spirit of a 1920’s American prohibition bar. As speakeasies did in their time, Speakeasy Singapore offers a comfortable, distinctive and homey place to cozy up with friends over food and drink.
The wine tasting, presented by Rubicon Reserve Wines of Singapore, was held in the loft space upstairs where 4 Astrolabe wines were presented by Jason Yank, the new general manager visiting from New Zealand. Jason walked through all the wines with tasting notes and suggested different pairings with the cheeses and hors d’oeuvres that were served.

While the 2008 version of the flagship Sauvignon Blanc left no doubt of its award winning status, the Pinot Gris surprised me. I personally don’t have much fondness for Pinot Gris but I found this one to be quite satisfying. Northern Italian in style, it is dry but with some length and was excellent when paired with the blue cheese and quince paste cracker. Jason tells us it is a most versatile wine and can stand up with anything from Middle Eastern to Asian foods.

The Chardonnay was also rather pleasing – appropriately buttery and fruity but without that cloying sweetness that I dislike in many Chardonnays. When I tasted it I felt that it had a certain sharp elegance…in fact, those exact words came to mind. By the way, pretentious wine snobs we are not. And most any winemaker will tell you if you can articulate what you like and why you like it, that’s good enough.

And finally, the fourth wine presented was a Pinot Noir. This was a very drinkable light red…described as a “quiet orchestra” by Jason. Pairing suggestions included ostrich, lamb and kangaroo. We actually enjoyed a bottle of this at home tonight with Italian food and both complemented the food yet stood out on its own right.

What is also great about these wines is that they represent truly solid quality at a reasonable price. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is offered for $44SGD which seems fair enough given its international status. While the Chardonnay is $42SGD and the Pinot Noir is $47.50. And at $39 the Pinot Gris is a really good value.

All in all, it was a lovely event with some great wines – thanks to Joyce at Speakeasy, and the folks at Rubicon for including us. We cannot wait to go back to enjoy some of the upcoming special wine themed dinners later this month.

Astrolabe Wines

Speakeasy Singapore (Facebook Group for up to date event info)

Rubicon Reserve Wines Singapore