Savour from more than 350 labels at Wine Fiesta

SINGAPORE — Even as the local market’s love for wine continues to broaden in both range and sophistication, a growing focus on organic, biodynamic and natural wines is palpable, as more consumers, pundits say, are exploring this limited range.

It is only natural (pun intended) as more consumers grow increasingly concerned about the foods and beverages they consume, which has outgrown simply knowing where they are coming from, said Moritz Deyle, a sommelier with The Straits Wine Company, which has put natural wines and sustainability in the spotlight at this year’s Wine Fiesta, taking place at Clifford Square until Sunday (Oct 23).

It is still the largest annual outdoor wine festival to be staged here, where guests can look to savour wines from more than 350 labels for the entry price of just S$50. This year’s focus on the providence of wine-making includes four natural wine producers from the Basket Range region in Adelaide Hills, Australia, and a select few from New Zealand.

Basket Range, explained group chief executive officer Kathy Lim-Sheehy, is a growing community in the field of organic wine, and four of the most popular winemakers from the area are making their South-east Asian debut at the festival — Lucy Margaux, Ochota Barrels, BK Wines and Commune of Buttons.

Of course, while it is easy to simplify what natural wines are all about, it is effectively harder to define them, as there aren’t any laws in the countries producing these wines that define this classification, said Deyle.

If you are wondering, natural wines include the use of organic grapes or those from biodynamic farms. The wines also feature low to no sulphites, and are made without the addition of foreign yeasts, added sugar for higher alcohol, or the use micro oxygenation. The last is a method of attaining desirable changes in wine texture and aroma that cannot be achieved by traditional ageing techniques. The grapes, Deyle shared, are also often handpicked to pick out the best (and weed out the damaged) and to prevent rough handling.

GROWING INTEREST IN PURITY

Natural wine has grown quite popular across markets in major cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Sydney and Melbourne. These, Deyle explained, are foodie places that are now strong on natural wine. “Noma for example has a nearly 100 per cent natural wine list,” he mused, affirming that the movement in Singapore is also growing.

“Places such as Cheek by Jowl (which boasts 100 per cent organic, bio-dynamic or natural wines), Burnt Ends, Tippling Club, and Open Farm Community ... are showcasing natural wines with a quite big success.”

Tippling Club, for example, features a variety of biodynamic, organic and natural wines, distinguished by their different cellar practices and farming methods, said restaurant manager Fabian Schenk. He too affirmed how natural wine has been a rising trend over the years as consumers become more knowledgeable.

“Consumers are now more experimental and are curious to try lesser known wines, steering away from the usual branded red and white wines,” he added. “They now crave for flavours that excite their palettes — something which can be found in a natural wine. For example, a wine made with five different grapes and with minimum technological interference might be more appealing.”

It may be more expensive to produce and cost more at the entry level, shared Deyle, but the price difference, he added, is not that high, stressing that less is also produced. “The main advantage is that a lot of them taste fantastic and that you can be sure that you are drinking a wine which is eco-friendly.”

Tickets to Wine Fiesta 2016 can be purchased from Sistic, the Straits Wine website or all 10 Straits Wine Company retail stores. Visit http://www.straitswine.com for details.