I TRADE TALK I Masters
I TRADE TALK I Masters of Wine act as guiding lights for the industry Richard Hemming MW and Head of Wine, Asia, for 67 Pall Mall Singapore Ahead of this year’s show, we spoke with MW Richard Hemming, Head of Wine, Asia for 67 Pall Mall Singapore, about the trends in the industry today and the importance of the MW qualification. Can you tell us about the importance of the Master of Wine (MW) qualification for the industry today? Collectively, Masters of Wine strive to represent the ultimate authority in wine. We work in every sector of the industry, from traditional wine producers to cutting-edge tech start-ups – and of course Members’ Clubs such as 67 Pall Mall. The qualification requires candidates to study all aspects of the wine industry to develop the most comprehensive understanding of the wine world. Every MW also abides by a commitment to uphold certain standards and values, so that we can act as guiding lights for the industry. What are the major trends in wine right now in your opinion? The global appetite for Burgundy shows no sign of slowing, despite everincreasing prices. At a more mainstream level, the rosé and sparkling wine categories are probably the most active in terms of exploring new potential. Minimal-intervention wine continues to capture the imagination of many consumers, not only to attract new drinkers to wine, but also to challenge the traditional wine industry. How important do you think it is to have international face-to-face meetings like Vinexpo Asia for the industry? At its heart, wine is a social drink. Even though technology allows us to connect effectively over long distances, there is no substitute for face-to-face contact, and Vinexpo facilitates this brilliantly. It will also allow wine professionals from around the world to witness how vibrant and dynamic Singapore is for wine CONFERENCE Wednesday, 24 May 2023 12:00pm - 1:00pm Join Richard Hemming at this year’s Vinexpo Asia for the conference: Wine’s Ultimate Accolade: How to Become a Master of Wine Room 3 - Conferences Different spirits represent different nations, cultures and history The Daily Vinexpo Asia sat down with Certified Spirits Educator (CSE) Eddie Nara for some exclusive insights on the latest spirits trends, ahead of his talk at Vinexpo Asia next Wednesday. What are some of the main trends in Irish whiskey right now? The use of different types of casks for maturation, e.g. Carcavelos, Portuguese oak, Japanese shochu, and of course Irish stout etc. Pot still whiskey remains a unique product to Ireland. Peated whisky is not unique to Scotland, and MASTERCLASS Wednesday, 24 May 2023 Ireland also produces some of the best peated whiskeys. How popular is Irish whiskey on the Asian market compared to other whiskies? The general price point of Irish whiskey remains very attractive compared to Scotch and Japanese whiskies. Asians generally love to try new things, and with certain Irish whiskey brands being innovative in the use of different new casks, people will not get bored with the same characteristics. Bartenders also love to add Irish whiskeys to their cocktail creations. Eddie Nara will be giving a Masterclass: The Irish Whiskey Renaissance Room 1 – Masterclasses 4:30pm - 5:30pm Why is it important for players in the wine and spirits industry to meet in person at events like Vinexpo Asia? In addition to sharing the actual wines and spirits, it is also about sharing care and passion, handshakes, hugs; this strengthens friendships, bonds and cooperation. Discussions over a glass of wine or whisky make meetings and discussions more effective and successful. What is the most important thing to keep in mind when educating people in the appreciation of spirits? Although certain spirits are more popular than others, we should have an open mind in trying the often neglected, lesser known ones too. I believe that different spirits represent different nations, cultures and history, and that these should be understood and respected. It’s also important to spend more time nosing the spirits (like most master blenders do) Eddie Nara Certified Spirits Educator (CSE) - Masterclasse dédiée au whisky Irlandais 6 • THE DAILY • TUESDAY 16 TH MAY 2023 vinexpoasia.com
I TRADE TALK I “We are in the industry of people” The Daily Vinexpo Asia spoke with Chuan Ann Tan, Semi-Finalist of the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023, in an exclusive interview Chuan Ann Tan, who holds an ASI Diploma Gold, is a Certified Sommelier and a Certified Sake Sommelier. He shared his thoughts on wine trends in Singapore and around the world. What are some of the main wine trends in Singapore right now? I think low-alcohol and low-intervention wines are what the market is looking for right now. Something lighter and more quaffable for Singapore’s warm weather. On the other hand, the premium section of fine Burgundy wines are getting harder to come by on the market. Due to the limited allocation, they just sold out extremely fast. How do these trends differ from the industry on a global scale? I think from a global perspective, alcoholfree wines and low-alcohol wines are trending. I am noticing that there are more and more alcohol-free wine brands on the global market. For Burgundy wines, I believe the situation is the same everywhere right now. What knowledge or skills can give a sommelier an extra competitive edge? Being eager to learn about all kinds of beverages if possible. This can be sake, whisky, rum etc. This will give you added value for the extra knowledge you are comfortable with. I think another important component now is non-alcoholic beverage knowledge. There is an increase in clients looking for non-alcoholic beverage pairings. For example, crafted kombucha, tea, filter coffee, amazake etc. Being creative and matching the concept of the chef/dish’s philosophy is also a key point. Why is it important for players in the wine industry to meet in person at events like Vinexpo Asia? It is definitely important. We are in the industry of people; I believe meeting in person is more efficient and will keep relationships stronger. The wine industry is a relatively small community, (…) BUILDING STRONG CONNECTIONS IS VERY IMPORTANT. VINEXPO ASIA PROVIDES A GREAT PLATFORM TO GATHER EVERYONE TOGETHER. so building strong connections is very important. Vinexpo Asia provides a great platform to gather everyone together. What traditions in the wine industry do you think it’s important to preserve? This will be a big topic, I think most of the wine production countries have their own traditions to preserve. This can be cultural or part of the wine making traditions themselves. In Vienna, a Heuriger is a wine tavern where you can drink the newest wine from the current vintage. This Viennese tradition is definitely worth a visit. It is a great experience of the culture, cuisine and wine as a whole. In Beaujolais in France, the Beaujolais Nouveau, which is released on the third Thursday of November every year, all started with a clever marketing idea to sell their young wines. Now the Beaujolais Nouveau is a 5-day festival with wine tastings, dinners, concerts etc. In Rioja in Spain, Rioja Cosecha is a traditional style of Tempranillo made with carbonic maceration. There are a few wineries making this historic version of Rioja, and I think it is great to keep the traditional style alive BATTLING SOMMELIERS Some of the top sommeliers from the region, including Mason Ng, ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Oceania 2022 from Singapore; Khanh Vi LeHoang, Vice-president of the Saigon Sommelier Association (SSA) from Vietnam; and Chuan Ann Tan, Semi-Finalist ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023, from Malaysia, will participate in a battle of food and beverage pairing at Vinexpo Asia 2023. The sommeliers will all pick a beverage to accompany the local dish proposed. They will then taste the pairing together with the MASTERCLASS Tuesday, 23 May 2:30 pm - 03:30 pm SOMMELIER BATTLE: PAIRING LOCAL Room 1 – Masterclasses Chuan Ann Tan Semi-Finalist of ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023 audience, explain their choices and defend them in front of their colleagues and the guests of Vinexpo Asia. After tasting all of the proposals, it will be up to the audience to decide which sommelier was the most convincing and which pairing won over the greatest number of palates. The sommeliers will do their best to pick surprising pairings, and the chosen dish will represent the local culinary tradition. This should make the experience even more challenging for the sommeliers and more fun for the audience THE DAILY • TUESDAY 16 TH MAY 2023 • 7
