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Great buys at ST Wine Fair

The fourth edition of the ST Wine Fair will showcase premium wine, sake and whisky

It is not too early to stock up on good wines for the year-end season and the ST Wine Fair is your opportunity to pick up great bargains.

The fourth edition of the ST Wine Fair opens on Thursday at Wisma Atria with a curated selection of more than 200 wines, both Old World and New World. Among the wines showcased are those not readily available on the retail market.

Visitors can enjoy attractive prices on wines, including special discounts exclusive to the fair. Participating wine merchants at the fair include Asia Wine Network, Angra Wine & Spirits and Crystal Wines.

The four-day fair will also feature a selection of premium sakes from Inter Rice Asia and fine whiskies from Le Vigne.

To guide you through the fair, ST Wine recommends its top 10 picks and the food to pair them with.

1. Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2013

  • VIEW IT / ST WINE FAIR @WISMA ATRIA

  • WHERE: Event Space, Level 1 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Road

    WHEN: Thursday to July 15, 11am to 9pm

    INFO: Go to STwine.sg, e-mail STwine@sph.com.sg or call 6319-5076 (office hours)

Country: Italy

Rating: JS94

ST Wine Fair price: $102

Usual price : $135

Ruby-red in colour, this wine is aromatic with notes of dried black cherries, cassis, truffles and chocolate fudge.

Made from a blend of 80 per cent Corvina, 10 per cent Rondinella and a small amount of Croatina and Oseleta grapes, this age-worthy wine has rich cherry

flavours with floral notes and a touch of youthful fruitiness.

Food pairing: Osso bucco, grilled steaks, suckling pig, roasted meats and matured cheeses

2. Greywacke Pinot Noir 2015

Country: New Zealand

Rating: RP91

ST Wine Fair price: $54

Usual price: $72

A sip of this deep-hued pinot noir is like dipping into a generous bowl of ripe black cherries topped with homemade plum jam. Made from grapes harvested and sorted by hand, this wine is rich with ripe fruit and has a spicy flourish of star anise and clove. If you enjoy food with wine, get this bottle as it pairs well with a wide variety of food.

Food pairing: Grilled salmon, roast duck, chicken and mushroom

3. Vina Koyle Royale Malbec 2010

Country: Chile

Rating: RP91

ST Wine Fair price: $48

Usual price: $60

Juicy with aromas and flavours of cassis and blackberries, this dark red wine has notes of violet and spice. Small amounts of Mourvedre and Petit Verdot grapes give this malbec an intriguing finish. Decant for 30 minutes before serving.

Food pairing: Grilled meat, duck confit, cheese, garlic-flavoured sausages and beef teppanyaki

4. Chateau La Sauvageonne Grand Vin 2011

Country: France

Rating: RP93

ST Wine Fair price: $72

Usual price: $90

An intense ruby-red, this blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan grapes is rich with fruit and spice on the nose. The estate of Chateau La Sauvageonne produces wine using biodynamic farming, which shuns chemical fertilisers. The approach also takes into account astrological influences with an emphasis on nurturing the land. The wine is refined yet vivacious on the palate. Drink now or give it a few more years to evolve.

Food pairing: Rack of lamb, soup with pork and vegetables, satay and beef noodles

5. Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino 2012

Country: Italy

Rating: RP90

ST Wine Fair price: $80

Usual price: $84

Deep ruby in colour, this Italian red has the scent of ripe plums, sunbaked earth, cured meat and menthol, with toasty notes. On the palate, it is mature, full-bodied and balanced.

Food pairing: Beef rendang, braised meat dishes and rich stews

6. Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Argentato 2016

Country: Italy

Rating: RP90

ST Wine Fair price: $46

Usual price: $48

A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Petit Manseng and Semillon grapes, this straw-coloured white wine has a rich bouquet of white flowers, hawthorn and acacia. It is soft in taste with good acidity and flavour.

Food pairing: Appetisers, vegetable- based first courses, shellfish, sashimi, fresh cheeses and fried Hokkien mee

7. Hideyoshi Daiginjo

Country: Japan

ST Wine Fair price: $80

Usual price: $91

One of Akita Prefecture's oldest breweries, the Hideyoshi brewery was set up in 1689, but took on its current name in 1848 when a feudal lord praised the excellence of its sake. Hideyoshi is famed for being one of the first breweries to use slow, low-temperature fermentation to brew Ginjo-style sake. Its Daiginjo is a blend of Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyogo and Akita Sake Komachi. This award-winning rice wine is elegant and fragrant with fruit, typical of Akita-style premium sake.

Food pairing: Sashimi and steamed fish dishes

8. Senkin Omachi Junmai Daiginjo

Country: Japan

ST Wine Fair price: $68

Usual price: $75

Established in 1806, Senkin Shuzo is the oldest brewery in Tochigi Prefecture. Omachi, a rice for sake brewing, is much sought after as it is difficult to cultivate. The brewery uses rice grown in the surrounding region. The Senkin Omachi Junmai Daiginjo has strong fruity flavours and is medium-bodied.

Food pairing: Meat dishes and cream-based pasta dishes

9. Big Peat by Douglas Laing Peated Vatted malt 46 per cent ABV

Country: Scotland

ST Wine Fair price: $118

Usual price: $168

This is a blend of malts from the island of Islay, which include the Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen. The Big Peat is rich and smoky, yet lively in scent and flavour. Fans of peated whiskies will love how the Big Peat's robust peatiness is balanced with a fruity mid-palate.

Food pairing: Best enjoyed on its own, but if you prefer to have it with food, go for sausages and cured meats

10. Scallywag by Douglas Laing Unpeated Vatted malt 46 per cent ABV

Country: Scotland

ST Wine Fair price: $118

Usual price: $168

This is a blend of some of the finest malts from Speyside, Scotland's famous whisky-producing region, and includes Mortlach, Macallan and Glenrothes. Distilled in small batches, the Scallywag's rich and dark colour comes from the whiskies maturing in Spanish sherry casks. This vatted malt has a sweet nose of honey, red apple peel, cinnamon and cloves. It tastes of vanilla, chocolate, oak, cinnamon and candied ginger.

Food pairing: Sweet barbecued ribs and bak kwa

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on July 08, 2018, with the headline Great buys at ST Wine Fair. Subscribe