Bordeaux fellowship welcomes Jakarta wine lovers

Bordeaux fellowship welcomes Jakarta wine lovers

Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bordeaux, the benchmark of fine wines around the world, has
recognized local wine enthusiasts among its "ambassadors" with
the establishment on Dec. 1 of the Jakarta chapter of the
Commanderie de Bordeaux.

Falling under the non-profit French federation, the Grand
Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux (GCVB), the equally non-profit
Commanderies de Bordeaux, which represents consumers, are part of
a broad fellowship of wine-makers, traders and other industry
players that are committed to spreading knowledge and sharing
appreciation of all Bordeaux appellations in France and abroad.

Membership is by invitation only, and to date, 5,000 active
members of these "embassies of Bordeaux wine" exist around the
world.

The Jakarta chapter is the 67th in the world, and one of only
two commanderies to be established in Asia within the past 20
years, following the opening of the Shanghai chapter in late
November. The total number of Commanderies in Asia now numbers
seven, including those in Fukuoka -- Bordeaux's sister city --
Hong Kong and Singapore.

The celebratory occasion began with a grade wine tasting at
the Wine Cellar of the Four Seasons Hotel, Central Jakarta, which
was open to the public. The tasting featured vintages from three
grand cru vineyards -- Chateau Figeac of Saint-Emilion, Chateau
Palmer of Margaux village in Medoc and the Domaine de Chevalier
of Graves -- known for producing wines that are ranked among the
top 20 vineyards of Bordeaux.

The region boasts about 10,000 chateaus, and produces a
greater volume of wine than all of Australia's wine-producing
regions combined. Of these 10,000 vineyards, only 250 are
classified as grand cru -- the top vineyards -- and these 250
vineyards are spread across only five areas of Bordeaux: Medoc,
Graves, Sauterne, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol.

At least 30 visitors showed up to taste first grade and second
grade labels of the featured vineyards and to speak with their
representatives -- including Figeac's Count Eric d'Aramon, the
Vice-Grand Maitre of GCVB -- who had traveled to Jakarta
specifically to inaugurate the new commanderie.

"It is a fantastic event of sharing, and an important one for
wine lovers and for business," said Four Seasons Master Sommelier
Suyanto. "It is the first grade wine tasting we've had at the
hotel."

While several visitors appeared familiar with the routine of
smelling, swirling, swishing the wine in the mouth and spitting
it out into a wine bucket provided for this purpose, many seemed
to prefer drinking the high-quality vintage to enjoy it to the
fullest.

"Making wine is serious business," said Bernard de Laage de
Meux of Chateau Palmer, "but when it comes to enjoying, tasting,
then it's not so serious."

Palmer's wines are known for their characteristic spiciness,
which appeared to be a draw for many Indonesian visitors.

Meanwhile, small groups had formed separately around Domaine
de Chevalier's Olivier Bernard and Figeac's d'Aramon, who spoke
in depth about the wine-making process, their estates and wines.

In the evening, a private, black-tie dinner was held at the
Garden Terrace of the hotel to inaugurate the Jakarta Commanderie
and to induct its founding members.

Opening the inaugural ceremony, GCVB Vice-Grand Maitre
d'Aramon, and guests of honor Bernard and de Laage de Meux
entered in a single-line procession to the Commanderie song,
Bordeaux, Toujours Bordeaux, donning velvet burgundy capes with
red mantles, yellow trim and matching caps.

Accompanying them were Singapore Commanderie Maitre Keith Kuo
and his treasurer, Wong Kok Long, who each wore the society's
medallion on red and yellow ribbons against their chests. Kuo and
Long had also come to Jakarta to commemorate the new chapter.

D'Aramon formally established the Jakarta chapter by reading
out the mandate provided by GCVB Grand Maitre Michel-Pierre
Massonie, then proceeded to induct Philippine-national Agustin
Que, formerly Maitre of the Hong Kong chapter, as the Jakarta
Maitre.

For the past eight years that he has resided here, Que had
applied yearly to the GCVB in France for permission to open a
local chapter. Furthermore, in light of the population of wine-
drinkers in Jakarta, Que requested an increase in the quota for
founding members from the original 12 to 25.

"There has been a tremendous increase, almost geometric
expansion of wine lovers at all levels -- for every kind of
budget and every kind of palate -- in Jakarta," said Que. "In
addition, we have seen a growth in the sophistication and
specialization within certain groups of wine-drinking societies
here. This indicates an improvement in lifestyle, in the
appreciation of fine living."

While the ritualistic declaration of vows to the Commanderie
may have been formal -- "Do you promise fidelity to the wines of
Bordeaux?" -- the spirit was one of sharing and camaraderie. As
Que prepared to drink a glass of wine to seal his commitment,
Bernard interjected with, "It's a blind tasting," to which, after
the customary swirling of the glass and a requisite sip, Que
replied, "(It's a) Bordeaux."

Each of the founding members were then inducted similarly
after offering their vows, a cape wrapped around their shoulders
as the Maitre decorated them with a slim cane, tapping left,
right, left on their shoulders and intoning, "Par le Bordeaux.
Pour le Bordeaux. Bordeaux, toujours Bordeaux."

The majority of founding members are Indonesian nationals, but
several expatriate members are also included, because "they are
the ones who will spread the word when they leave (the country)",
said d'Aramon.

The main duty of a Commanderie de Bordeaux is to promote and
to develop knowledge of Bordeaux wines in Indonesia through a
variety of events, such as tastings and dinners, while its
members continue to hone their own knowledge and appreciation of
Bordeaux wines.

"For me, it is more than a business, it is a life," said
Bernard. "You never can say, 'I know wine'. Wine is more a
philosophy, a style of life. And Bordeaux is to enjoy, to
understand, to share -- it is not for 'drinking'."

D'Aramon concurs, adding, "It is also about the image we bring
with our wines. Bordeaux wines are very elegant and very
rewarding with two main points. There is the taste and flavor,
and there is also the social aspect."

While wine has biblical roots in its representation of
Christ's blood and its first producers were priests, it has since
evolved into a culture of its own.

"As it says on the Commanderie's (membership) certificate,
'Wine culture is the highest expression of Western culture',"
said de Laage de Meux.

Bernard highlights the difference between commercial or
industrial wines -- that is, those produced in great volume for
immediate consumption -- and the fine wines of Bordeaux, which
involves a more organic, almost spiritual approach to wine-
making. "This makes the difference between something to drink and
something to dream. And this is why thousands visit our chateaus
every year -- they want to see where the wine is made."

"And this is the main difference between Bordeaux and New
World wines, like from Australia, New Zealand, South America,
South Africa -- these are produced for the consumer. While we put
our soul, brains, our guts in producing wine -- and there is no
marketing survey for this," added d'Aramon.

De Laage de Meux continued, "Today, wine has become a drink.
But high-quality wines are more than just a drink ... they are a
little niche of a big mass market. They are often compared to
luxury products, but it has a limited production. So no matter
the market (demand), the product stays the same."

"For example," picked up Bernard, "if one in 10 people in
Bordeaux drank one bottle per year, they can drink the entire
Domaine de Chevalier (produced in a year)."

The Commanderies are thus necessary, concluded d'Aramon, to
explain the complexities that set Bordeaux wines apart from all
others.

As for enjoying wine, D'Aramon said, "The best way to
appreciate wine is to marry it with your own culture, your
cuisine. It does not necessarily have to be with French or
Western food."

In the case of the inaugural dinner, the three chateaus had
drawn up a list of the wines they would contribute, and the menu
was designed in consultation with the Four Seasons chef to match
the wines.

While it is generally accepted that whites go with fish and
seafood, and reds with meats, de Laage de Meux stressed that this
pairing was not written in stone -- and that it was not about
matching flavors, but about ensuring that "the texture of the
food matches the wine".

De Laage de Meux underlined, "There is a wine for every
occasion, and the best way to learn is to taste -- you have to
experience and build your own references. Tasting is a personal
experience, and the more you experience, the more complex it
becomes."

According to the three, like any culture, wine appreciation is
ever evolving both personally and socially. As d'Aramon said,
"You can have an evolution all life long."

But perhaps the establishment of a Commanderie here may also
signify a different kind of evolution, as it is written in the
GCVB's handbook: "Wine culture exists where people want to share,
to understand, to enjoy ... so as to avoid conflict."

We could all drink to that.