FOR FOCUS ISSUE: WINE

FOR FOCUS ISSUE: WINE

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Wines-drinking-brands

Sudibyo M. Wiradji
Contributor
Jakarta

Art of drinking no simple matter

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."