SINGAPORE- Visitors to the first wine fair organised by The Straits Times had the opportunity to taste a selection of over 100 exquisite fine wines at the one-day event on Saturday (March 4).
Close to 1,000 readers showed up at the ST Wine Fair organised in association with Robert Parker Wine Advocate (RPWA).
The event, which took place at The St Regis Singapore, showcased a curated selection of over 100 Old World and New World wines, all RP-rated and available for tasting.
Lawyer Toh Chen Han, 38, found the range of wines featured "fantastic".
"The event is useful for those who want to sample from a wide geographical, varietal and stylistic spread of wines," he said.
He added that it was a nice surprise to see The Straits Times venturing into new areas like setting up a wine club and organising wine events to keep things interesting for readers.
Most of the wines featured were rated RP90 to RP96.
Wines rated RP90 to RP95 are terrific and outstanding, and those rated RP96 to RP100 are extraordinary.
Visitors enjoyed discounts and exclusive promotions at the fair.
Participating wine merchants included Asia Wine Network, Cellar Door, Hermitage, Grand Vin, Grape Palate, Crystal Wines, Angra Wine & Spirits, Le Vigne and Wein & Vin.
Mr Joe Tan, 44, the business manager of Grape Palate, said response to the event was overwhelming.
He said many ST readers at the event were keen to find out more about the wines featured, and learn about the wine region and wineries.
Mr Tan added: "The event is a great opportunity for consumers to connect face to face with wine merchants, taste the wines and get more information about the wines they are keen on buying."
Mr Alfred Chia, 50, the chief executive of a financial advisory firm, bought two cases (six bottles each) of two French wines from Wein and Vin which specialises in German and French wines.
"I found it helpful to talk to the wine merchants who could give me details on the origins and background of the wines I tasted," he told The Straits Times.
He also signed up for a six-month ST Wine Club Gold subscription.
Visitors could redeem the $20 entry fee for a $20 discount off any ST Wine Club Gold or Platinum subscription package purchased at the event.
The ST Wine Club was launched last December by the newspaper in collaboration with RPWA.
Subscribers to the club get a selection of two to four bottles of wine delivered to them every month.
These specially selected wines are highly rated, scoring RP90 points and above.
Homemaker Clare Lee, 49, who visited the fair with her husband, bought six bottles of different wines and also signed up for a ST Wine Club Gold subscription package.
"My husband and I love full-bodied red wines and there were so many good ones we tasted, we had a hard time deciding which to buy," said Madam Lee.
"We are so impressed at this very first ST Wine Fair, we are already looking forward to the next one."
For more details on ST Wine Club packages, go to www.STwine.sg
