GOASIAPLUS April 2018

Wine in KL
Regale Lounge
Hidden in plain sight, this wine lounge in Desa Sri
Hartamas is worth hunting down if only for the
gracious hospitality. Co-owner Trina, who also
founded Wine Tasting Malaysia, genuinely enjoys
sharing her knowledge of and zeal for wine via
informal wine tasting workshops. Teal sofas and
ornate embellishments give Regale a Venetian
feel, and a private room is available via advanced
bookings. Old World wines take centre stage at
Regale with up to twelve different whites and reds
on constant rotation for tastings by the glass.
Best For
Catching up with
girlfriends in a quiet,
clandestine environment
Address
36-1, Jalan 25/70a,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
Kuala Lumpur
Promotions
- Gal’s Night all night
every Wednesday
- High Wine (akin to
high tea) except that
your finger food is paired
with bottomless winebased
cocktails from
3-5pm every Sunday
(reservations required)
Three To Try
- Chateau de Lafont 2007
- Liebfraumilch from
Rheinhessen
- Bobal & Cabernet
Sauvignon by Castillo
de Liria
Wine 101
Origins
General consensus states that wine was an
accidental discovery: forsaken vats of wild
grape juice, which took on a heady quality,
grew on those who discovered it. The
earliest evidence of wine (8000 BC) was
unearthed in Georgia.
Religious Roots
Monks are credited for early wine
cultivation. The Greeks and Romans even
created and venerated a personification of
the beverage dubbed Dionysus or Bacchus.
Old versus New
Old World and New World are two terms
that often crop up in wine talk, with the
former encompassing France, Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Germany and Greece, and the
latter entailing America, Australia, South
Africa, Argentina, Chile, India and Japan.
What’s in a name?
Most Old World wines are named after
their geographic regions whereas New
World wines are named for their
grape varietals.
Debunked
The perception that ‘old is gold’ only applies
to a small percentage of wines, usually
reds. Whites rarely prosper from the aging
process.
The 5 S
These five prompts in the said order will
help you get more out of your wine drinking
experience:
SEE: hold your glass up to the light and
observe the wine’s colour
SWIRL: carefully swishing the wine around
the inside of your glass will help oxidize it
SNIFF: don’t be shy to stick your nose right
in the glass to get the full gist of its aromas
SIP: finally have a taste but hold that
mouthful for a few seconds
SAVOUR: swallow the wine but stay aware
of any aftertaste
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