Art of drinking no simple matter

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta

Compared with most beverages served along with food, wines often receive special treatment. There are special events dedicated to wine, such as wine tastings and free samples of new products. And this is not without reason.

To sommeliers, or wine experts, the art of wine drinking is not as simple as one might think. A glass of wine has many aspects, not only color, flavor, aroma, texture and taste, but also its own unique background in terms of history, vintage and the geographical condition of the area where the grapes were grown.

Regions where grapes grow account for why particular types of wine are preferable. Places like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire and Alsace in France are not strange to wine lovers because the areas are known to have good soil and climate, which are required for quality wine.

The early production of wine was closely linked to the development of Christianity in Europe in the Middle Ages. The first producers of wine came from France, and wine production eventually expanded to numerous countries around the world. Old countries in terms of wine production include France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Among the "newer" countries to get into wine production are Chile, Canada, U.S., South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

As in other capital cities around the world, Jakarta is home to numerous bars and restaurants serving a wide selection of wines from many different countries, with foreign travelers, expatriates and Indonesians as regular consumers. But in a tropical country like Indonesia, where drinking wine is not a habit, it would not be unusual to find an Indonesian being confused by the name of a wine accompanied with an explanation like "full-bodied Cotes du Frontonnais". Therefore, some knowledge about wine would be beneficial to those wishing to savor the taste of this beverage.

Billy Budiman, owner of cellars.com, the first on-line wine retailer in Indonesia, said that although Indonesia is considered new to the wine industry, the interest and demand has increased significantly over the past few years.

"In general, Indonesian consumers prefer 'sweet' wines and less 'acidic' wines such as Merlot, Riesling and Zinfandel," he said, adding that on average the alcohol level in wine is between 10 percent and 14 percent.

In response to the increasing interest and demand in wine here, several star-rated hotels have been engaged in educating people to appreciate wine. Several other hotels have drawn up plans to launch wine promotions this year, with Bacchus of the InterContinental MidPlaza scheduled to have a promotion in February. The Alila Hotel with its planned "Wine Tasting and Wine Happy Hour" in February, the Grand Hyatt Jakarta with its promotion from mid-February to early March, and Le Meridien Jakarta with its "Wine Free Flow" program.

"What we are looking at is to give some wine lessons by inviting some well-known people who know about wine to talk about the subject," Vanessa Perdriau, director of food and beverages at the InterContinental MidPlaza, said.

Le Meridien's bar manager, Toto Kariyanto, said the "Wine Free Flow" programs would allow guests to drink as much wine as possible at a price comparable to that set for a glass of wine served at lunch or dinner.

Guests might be able to find some wines at hotel lounges, but not all of these bars offer a very wide selection of wine. Wine bars, however, are commonly equipped with a temperature- controlled cellar to store wine and a cruvinet that allows guests to choose from a selection featured wines by the glass.

At Bacchus, a wine bar at the InterContinental Mid Plaza Hotel Jakarta on Jl. Sudirman, you can find a vast selection of more than 150 wines. These selective wines are also available by the bottle for guests to enjoy in the bar or to take away in a Bacchus Gift Box.

Vanessa Perdriau of the InterContinental MidPlaza said Jakarta was a business city, and many people enjoyed wine. "We have foreign travelers who like to go (to Bacchus) and enjoy a good dinner with wine," she said, adding that Asian customers, mostly Japanese, preferred the Chilean and Italian wines, while European customers were more partial to stronger wines from France.

"The taste of Chilean and Italian wines is a bit different. Most Europeans like stronger wines with a lot of tannin, like the wines from Bordeaux," she said.

Bacchus, with seating capacity of about 40, has many regular customers who enjoy holding business gatherings in the cozy and comfortable atmosphere of the bar.

At Bacchus, wine prices range from Rp 230,000 (about US$25) to Rp 3.6 million per bottle. "Chateau Margeaux, which costs Rp 3.6 million per bottle, comes from a specific region in France that is well known for producing excellent wines," Vanessa said.

Opened in September 2002, Burgundy, on the fourth floor of the Grand Hyatt Jakarta, features a selection of 3,000 fine wines and champagnes from France, Italy, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"Most of our guests are expatriates, but now young Indonesians are beginning to enjoy drinking wine," Grand Hyatt Jakarta's assistant public relations manager, Dewi Damayanti, said, adding that Burgundy has a seating capacity of 104. The bar also offers an extensive selection of frozen vodkas, spirits, champagnes, cocktails and high-end snacks. The prices for a glass of wine ranges from Rp 45,000 to Rp 90,000, which will get you a glass of Merlotca'del Mastro from Italy.

At the Grand Hyatt, wine is also featured at the hotel's restaurant C's. A 3,000-bottle wine cellar carries an interesting selection of old and new world wines.

"Our cruvinet can accommodate 13 different glasses of wines," she said.

A wine store at the Alila Hotel Jakarta carries a wide selection of wines from various countries, including France, Chile, Spain, South Africa, California, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Germany.

As usual, the cost of a bottle of wine depends on the brand, year and quality. "Our prices range from Rp 90,000 to about Rp 1.5 million per bottle. Higher quality wines are available upon request," Billy Budiman said.

Customarily, wine is served to match the food being served for lunch or dinner. Therefore, most wine bars also provide special dishes that go with the wine. At Bacchus, for instance, to complement the wines, the bar provides a gastronomic menu that includes Sauteed Tasmanian Salmon, Smoked Salmon Fettuccini, Sauteed Duck Breast and Roasted Beef Tenderloin.

But there are classical rules about what kinds of wines go with a particular cuisine. As most wine lovers will tell you, red wine goes with red meat and white wine with white meats like fish and chicken. "The tannin of red wine will feel too strong when drunk with fish. Similarly, the taste of a light white wine will be overpowered by the flavor of rare roast beef, for example," a wine lover said.

However, this depends entirely on a person's tastes. "A real fruity red wine goes with a specialty like roast chicken, even though it is white meat. Similarly, the flavor of salmon or tuna will be fuller when served with a glass of red wine," the wine lover added.

According to Billy Budiman, the principles of tasting good quality wines include seeing, smelling and tasting the wines. "The color must be clear not dull -- ruby red with purple nuances for red wines and golden yellow for white wines," he said. "The smell must be a nice or fresh aroma, not vinegary, and the taste must be fruity, not sour."