Wine fest boasts slew of unusual labels

FIESTA AT CLIFFORD SQUARE

When: 4pm to 10pm (Oct 24), noon to 10pm (Oct 25), noon to 9pm (Oct 26)

Where: Clifford Square (next to The Fullerton Bay Hotel), 80 Collyer Quay

Price: $55 nett

Info: Call 1800-8888-333 or go to www.sistic.com.sg or www.winefiesta.com.sg.

SINGAPORE - Unusual labels are gracing some wine bottles in a bid to set them apart from others.

And visitors to next month's Singapore Wine Fiesta can look forward to these labels among the more than 300 wines at the event.

The Domaine Lucci Merlot 2013 from South Australia, for example, has an anime character on its label, while the Amigos Margaret River Marsanne Chardonnay Roussanne 2010 has a drawing of three women.

The elegant Galaxy Proprietary Red Blend 2011 from California has small stars on the bottle.

Joel B. Payne, 61, publisher and chief editor of the Gault Millau German Wine Guide, said these designs reflect the trend of winemakers using fancy labels to entice drinkers.

The American wine writer says: "There are all kinds of people who buy wine for various reasons. Some look for specific regions, producers or grape varietals, while others go by recommendations or promotions.

"And there are those who look at labels on a shelf. Having a label that stands out can play an important role if you have no other way to set yourself apart from the dozens of bottles on the shelves. This doesn't mean it's a great wine, neither is it necessarily bad."

He is one of the wine experts who will be at the Singapore Wine Fiesta. This seventh edition runs from Oct 23 to 26 at Clifford Square, between One Fullerton and The Fullerton Bay Hotel.

The wine event, which is into its seventh year, is organised by wine shop chain The Straits Wine Company in partnership with DBS. It kicks off on Oct 23, with a special Winemakers' Table Dinner at The Fullerton Bay Hotel. Guests will get to sample 60 highly rated wines while tucking into a buffet.

In addition to the unusual wine labels, the outdoor event from Oct 24 to 26 will showcase more than 300 wines for tasting. The wines will be sold at discounted prices. Winemakers will be on hand to answer questions.

Over the three days, there will also be 40 free masterclasses conducted by wine experts, double the number available last year. They are limited to 20 people a class, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Kathy Lim-Sheehy, 41, owner of The Straits Wine Company, said: "While many consumers have become more sophisticated, there are also many new drinkers every year. It is easy to be intimidated by the terminology and complexities of wine appreciation. Our objective is to make wine approachable and fun for everyone from the newbie to the connoisseur."

euniceq@sph.com.sg

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