Need to stock up on booze for the next couple of months? Singapore’s largest wine and whisky event is back in the form of Wine & Whisky Week by 1855 The Bottle Shop.
The third edition will be held from 19 – 30 April 2017 at Suntec City and admission is free!
This isn’t any ordinary tasting event – you’ll get to sample more than 100 wine and whisky labels, and choose to buy from over 500!
If that’s not reason enough to visit, I don’t know what is.
Choosing from so many labels can get overwhelming, so here’s a preview of some wines and whiskies that will be available for tasting and for sale.
The event will have a curated section dedicated to the trending wine of 2017, pinot noir. You can look forward to more than 50 labels of this red wine grape variety, from over 10 wine producing regions.
Take your time to taste and learn more in the process!
The Yering Station Village Pinot Noir 2014 from the Yarra Valley in Australia is full of flavour and texture. With a red-berry aroma and earthy notes, this pinot noir would go wonderfully with chicken and turkey dishes.
For a savoury classic, try the Bouchard Pere Et Fils Beaune Greves Vigne De L’Enfant Jesus 2012 from Burgundy in France. This is a flagship wine from one of the oldest Burgundian wine estates, and would complement duck, goose or gamey-bird dishes.
The flavours of the red berries are vibrant and intense, yet delicate on the palate, with oaky notes. Get a few bottles of this as it has great ageing potential!
Deep and dark red in colour, the Lethbridge Pinot Noir 2013 from the Geelong region in Australia is rich and quite full-bodied. The palate boasts dark cherry and plum flavours, with a spicy finish that lingers.
This was one of my favourites.
Another pinot noir to seek out for a tasting would be the Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2014 from Central Otago in New Zealand. Bold flavours await, with slight spice, sweet oak and a long finish.
This particular red is also organic, a testament to the vineyard’s biodynamic approach.
If pinot noir is not what you’re after, go straight to trying some of the award winning wines that will be featured.
The El Coto “Coto Real Reserva” 2011 from Rioja in Spain was awarded the gold medal and the ‘Best Rioja’ trophy at the 2016 edition of the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC).
If you’ve been saving a really good cut of lamb for a special day, get a bottle of this to pair perfectly with it. The nose is filled with black and red ruby fruits, and other rich aromas including figs and liquorice, creating a powerful and complex Red.
Reds are all the rage this year, and the McGuigan Handmade Shiraz 2010 from Langhorne Creek in Australia joins the pack. The beautiful wine won the gold medal and ‘Best Shiraz’ at the 2013 edition of the Hong Kong IWSC.
The black and red cherry flavours are quite concentrated, with hints of spice reminiscent of a yummy Christmas cake. The wine finishes with delicious savoury notes and vanilla. I highly recommend getting a taste of this at the event.
After a slew of Reds, I now draw your attention to one of the best Whites that I’ve ever tasted – the William Fèvre Chablis 2014 from Burgundy-Chablis region in France. Listed in Wine Spectators ‘Top 100 wines of 2016’, this Chablis was crisp and delicious to taste.
It was very refreshing with citrus and floral notes, and would pair wonderfully with oysters and seafood. One of the easiest Whites to drink and crack open on a sunny day.
Besides wines, the aptly titled Wine & Whisky Week will also feature an array of in-demand, new and rare whiskies that will be available for tasting and purchase. Whiskies traditionally come in either malt, grain or blended varieties, with grain being the rarest of the lot.
I tried the Port Dundas 27 Year Old 1988 which is a single grain Scotch whisky. This was my first time trying grain whisky as it’s not so common and needs quite a few ageing years before it reaches its full potential.
The whisky tasted sweet, with notes of fresh honey and golden syrup which is something right up my street. Add a few drops of water to open up the more subtle, spicy flavours.
The Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Johnnie Walker 18 year old Platinum Label might be more familiar to most people in Singapore. Johnnie Walker is actually a blended whisky, meaning it’s a mix of both malt and grain.
The Glenmorangie is a rich and fruity whisky with notes of caramelised apricots, dates, almonds, honeycomb – ideal when enjoyed chilled after a meal.
The Johnnie Walker has the smokiest flavour of the three, with a malty cereal and vanilla taste. Get this as a gift for a dinner party and you’ll be the man or woman of the hour.
12 days of wine and whisky tastings await so while you’re getting your drinking kakis together, why not check out the masterclasses as well?
Wine & Whisky Week will feature eight masterclasses ($38 – $48) that will be held over two weekends, hosted by international winery representatives and brand ambassadors.
This is really an opportunity not to be missed, so mark your calendars!
Dates & Time: 19 April 2017, 11am – 5pm; 20 – 30 April 2017, 11am – 10pm
Prices: Admission is free
