Wine Fiesta 2016: A Preview

It’s already the last quarter of the year, and for many in the F&B business, it’s time to ramp up on Christmas and New Year’s Eve preparations.  For the rest of us who are not running restaurants, it’s also the time to start thinking about making holiday plans.  And if you are particular about the wines you serve during your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, Wine Fiesta 2016 is the perfect opportunity to check out what’s on offer from the largest outdoor wine festivals in Singapore.

Glasses waiting to be filled at Morsels, venue of the Wine Fiesta 2016 preview.

Happening over three days, from 21^st to 23^rd October, the ninth edition of the Wine Feista will be held at Clifford Square under a mega white tent. Good wines should be enjoyed with good food and therefore, participants will also be able to enjoy a curated gastronomic experience by seven Singapore restaurants besides the spectrum of wines available for tastings.

Grater lampshades at Morsels’ open kitchen.

Organic, Biodynamic or Natural?

The theme for this year’s Wine Fiesta 2016 is “Rising Roots”, and will see the wine festival feature several natural wine makers among more than 350 wine labels. Wait, aren’t all wines natural?  It would seems that natural wine is the new organic.

Rose by BK Wines from Adelaide Hills, to go with the Kasu-cured Barramundi by Chef Petrina Loh of Morsels.

I learn that even organic or biodynamic wines can have sulfites and other additives to act as preservatives, or to enhance the taste of wines respectively. Natural wines, as described to me, are wines made “with the least or no natural interventions”. For example, most wines have some sulfites added to act as preservatives and there are claims that sulfites can worsen hangovers in people sensitive to it.  Although I didn’t drink enough to speak from experience during the preview session, I was told anecdotally that drinkers suffer no or less effects of hangovers from drinking natural wines.

Spicy Lab Gai by Chef Wanthana from Tamarind Hill. Lots of fresh garden basil and herbs with thai seasonings.

While I think sulfites cannot actually be detected by taste in the amounts that is used, the natural wines I tried certainly has je ne sais quoi quality to it, like a less manufactured feel to it.  This is most apparent in the Lucy Margaux Noir de Florette from Adelaide Hills I tasted.  The cloudy and chalky appearance of the wine will likely surprise most who are encountering wines without fining or filtration for the first time.

Chalky appearance of the Lucy M Noir de Florette 2016.

Most wines are clarified and stabilized before they are bottled, giving most wines a glossy and clear appearance in the wine glass. This is achieved through the addition of a variety of fining agents such as egg white, milk protein, animal gelatin, fish bladder, silica or kaolin clay. Although these fining agents are filtered out in the finished wine, the use of these can still be a cause of concern to some, such as vegans.  Natural wine makers strive to minimize or eliminate the use of these agents to keep the wine as natural as possible.

Delectable pairings

Keeping with the eco-conscious theme of sustainability this year, seven chefs will each be presenting three original dishes specially created with locally sourced ingredients. Andrew Baldus from Meat Smith, Dave Pynt from Burnt Ends, Michael Lewis from Tin Hill Social, Petrina Loh from Morsels, Rishi Naleendra from Cheek by Jowl, Ah Boy from Good Chance Popiah and Wanthana Nikonsaen from Tamarind Hill will be offering their dishes between S$10 to S$15 during the three-day festival.

Kasu-cure Kuhlbarra Barramundi by Chef Petrina Loh from Morsels.  Bok choy pickles, Uni, Burrata and Pulut Hitam Cracker.

Having sampled some of the dishes at the preview, this year’s Wine Fiesta is certainly something to look forward to even if you are not that into wine. The memory of Candlenut’s Peranakan inspired sausages at last year’s Wine Fiesta still lingers; It would seem that this year’s food offering may be even better. Oh, just a warning on the Lab Gai from Tamarind Hill and Salted Egg Crab Meat Popiah from Good Chance; They are spicy, and I recommend you save these dishes for later in the evening, after the more subtle pairings.

Salted Egg Crab Meat Popiah by Chef Ah Boy from Good Chance Popiah. One of the most decadent popiah I have eaten.

Dry-aged Wagyu Rump Tataki by Chef Rishi Naleendra from Cheek By Jowl.

Here are a couple more nuggets in case anyone needs further convincing: Wine masterclasses will feature Sommelier Moritz, who will share the difference between conventional and natural wines, food and wine pairing by Jasper Button from Commune of Buttons and Chef Dave from Burnt Ends, introduction to Cheek by Jowl’s organic and biodynamic wine list by Chef Rishi together with Taras from Ochota Barrels and finally, a showcase by PLUMM Glass on which glassware types are bested suited for different wines.  These masterclasses are free and are on a first-come first-served basis.

Wine Fiesta 2016

Event dates        : 20^th – 23^rd October, 2016

Venue                  : Clifford Square, 80 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049326

Opening Hours  : Party Wine-maker’s Table (20^th Oct), 6.30pm to 10pm
Day 1 (21^st Oct), 4pm to 10pm
Day 2 (22^nd Oct), 12pm to 10pm
Day 3 (23^rd Oct), 12pm to 9pm

Ticket Prices       : Walkabout ticket prices
S$50 per ticket | S$99 for three tickets, 10% off for Standard Chartered Bank Cardholders. Tickets can be purchased at SISTIC, the Straits Wine website, or all 10 Straits Wine Company retail stores.