We round up the best places for both traditionalists and explorers of wine to kick back and explore one of the world’s oldest beverages
Wine is one of the oldest beverages in the world. It goes back several thousand years as far back as 6,000 BCE; it is the domain of the Greek god Bacchus; and it appears crucially in the Bible. With its mythological status and shared origins across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, wine continues to be one of the most popular alcoholic drinks today. It’s no surprise, then, that there are a number of gourmet bars in Singapore catering to this millennia-old fascination with this fermented grape beverage, presenting everything from classic Old World wines to up-and-coming New World varieties, and even funkier-tasting organic wines.
One such bar shaking up the scene is Mish Mash, Proper Concept’s newest wine-cocktail gastro-bar to open downtown. Promising revolutionary wine-cocktails and both small and large plates, you won’t want to miss one of the most exciting bar openings this month. Looking for other watering holes to visit in the meantime? We’ve rounded up the best gourmet wine bars to visit in Singapore for an evening fitting of a Bacchanal.
1. Mish Mash
ABOVE Adam & Eve at Mish Mash
Located at the junction of South Bridge Road and Upper Cross Street is Mish Mash, one of the hottest new gastro-bars to open in Singapore’s drinking scene. Helmed by Boo Jing Heng, former principal bartender of Jigger & Pony (No. 2 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022) and a Diageo World Class Champion, imbibers will be treated to innovative wine-cocktails that are rarely found elsewhere.
“Here at Mish Mash, we pay homage to the core wine varietals by crafting ‘alter ego’ cocktails,” Boo says. “We interpret and create a flavour profile that is familiar yet enthralling to the senses.” One such cocktail is the Carnal Carnage, which mixes gin, chamomile-infused wine, and clarified rhubarb for a fruity profile and body that’s best suited for lovers of rosé. If you prefer sparkling cocktails, pick up the Lusty Lemony, which blends yuzu, lychee, gin and champagne for an elegant pour with notes of citrus. And if you prefer umeshu, go for the Bubble Butt, which blends dark rum and chrysanthemum with umeshu, citrus, and champagne for a complex tang with notes of caramel sweetness and effervescence. If you’re not into cocktails, Mish Mash also has a generous wine selection to choose from.
Don’t forget to fill up on small plates like the Moffles and Dip—mochi waffles with smoked onion dip and ikura—as well as larger plates like the handmade squid ink tortellini with prawns and lobster emulsion.
Mish Mash, 198 South Bridge Road, S(058747)
2. Le Bon Funk
ABOVE Bar at Le Bon Funk (Photo: Le Bon Funk)
Elegant yet lively and intimate, chef-owner Keirin Buck’s Le Bon Funk aims to serve up accessible wines that remain exciting on the palate. Under beverage director Jos Kjer’s direction, Le Bon Funk’s extensive wine menu includes a variety of winemaking styles, methods, and terroirs that embraces the “good funk” of good wine. Take the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Secco vigna Pagliaro 2015, an Umbrian red that has been aged 24 months in Slavonian oak casks with a rich, full body and a spiced aroma. Or look at the 2010 Domaine de l’Octavin Arbois Pamina La Mailloche, a rich Chardonnay that shows the hard clay of the Mailloche vineyard through its minerality. With two locations at Club Street and Holland Village, it’s easy to indulge in more unknown wines with Buck’s produce-forward plates.
Le Bon Funk
$ $ $ |
29 Club Street, Singapore 069414
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3. Wine Rvlt
The brainchild of sommeliers Alvin Gho and Ian Lim, Wine Rvlt specialises in natural wines that prioritise quality and sustainability. Its walls are decked from floor to ceiling with an eclectic selection of wines, including the Steve Bettschen Metaphusis Savagnin La Neuveville 2017, a Swiss white wine that’s fruity with a slight minerality. It’s best accompanied by food that’s designed to be shared with friends and companions, like an uni butternut squash with caviar over dashi crystal bread, and beef tartare with smoked egg yolk, mustard ginger, and sago dashi crackers.
Wine RVLT
38 Carpenter Street, Level 1, S(059917)
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4. Fool
ABOVE Wine pouring at Fool (Photo: Fool)
With chef-owner Rishi Naleendra (chef-owner chef of Cloudstreet), group beverage manager Benjamin Hasko and head sommelier Davis Tan at the helm, one can expect Fool to be an eclectic modern wine bar with a playful and witty vibe and fuss-free drinking. With a self-professed “edgy” wine list that includes wine producers from all over the world. Take, for instance, its selection of English sparkling wines, including a Ex Machina Rosé ‘Brut’ from Sugrue in Sussex, made with a mix of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, or a selection of ciders that actively refutes the heavy-handed flavouring and sugaring of commercial ciders in favour of offerings like the Trois Pepins Cidrerie du Vulcain, which is made with apples, pears, and quince.
Fool
21 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069620
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5. The Winery Gourmet Bar
ABOVE The Winery Gourmet Bar (Photo: The Winery Gourmet Bar)
The Winery Gourmet Bar is where you need to go if you’re a fan of Old World wines from Europe. Boasting one of the biggest collections of vintage European wines in Singapore, including from some of the most far-flung regions in the continent, the space is equipped with tasting rooms and private rooms for you to taste wines with exquisite expressions that will challenge your taste buds.
Some pours you can expect here is a Montelvini prosecco, a well-balanced wine made with 100% Glera grapes that still has an acidity underscoring its freshness. Elsewhere, a Domaine Bousquet Malbec dominates the palate with notes of blackberry, plum and chocolate, with a full body and structure for a persistent finish.
The Winery Gourmet Bar, 907 East Coast Road, 01-03 Springvale, S(459107), +65 9643 3188
6. Club Street Wine Room
ABOVE Wine at Club Street Wine Room (Photo: Club Street Wine Room)
Cosy but stylish, Club Street Wine Room is a must-visit for everyone from the traditionalists to the explorers of new and exciting wines. The Promesse de Château Fayat Pomerol 2019, for instance, appeals to those with a taste for Old World wines with its full body and dark fruit. For those with a more playful palate, go for the Grape Invaders by Fabien Jouves, a rich pour with notes of raspberry, intense red fruit, and spices. Pair it with wood-fired plates like the grilled tiger prawns with citrus kosho and confit fennel, or its signature 87 hot fried chicken with yuzu mayo.
Club Street Wine Room
87 Club Street, Singapore 069455
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7. Vin Geek
Just opened last year on Orchard Road, Vin Geek boasts a 52-seater wine bar with an impressive collection of wines and cheeses from all over the world. What’s special about Vin Geek is its 24-bottle wine dispenser, which allows you to pour glasses of wine in 30ml, 90ml, and 150ml portions, perfect for moderating your intake or tasting a number of wines.
Some of the most premium wines on offer at this cool and playful bar is the Alión Ribera del Duero 2017, a red with a firm structure and gripping tannins and floral and vanilla hints. If you’re looking for a real treat, go for the Roberto Voerzio Azienda Agricola Sarmassa di Barolo Magnum, a 2006 vintage that is reminiscent of orange, candied fruit, and vanilla.
Vin Geek, 9 Scotts Road, 01-04/05/06/07, S(228210), +65 6334 1622
8. Park90
Located in the plush halls of Conrad Singapore Orchard, Park90 is an elegant wine lounge with an extensive selection of wines sourced from its network of local partners and winemaking houses all over the world, spanning grape varieties, styles, and terroirs. Some exclusive wines you can find here is the Domaine de la Grange des Pères 1999, an intense blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, and Syrah with hints of red fruit, clove, and mace.
Those looking for more premium wines with limited release can also sign up for Park90’s membership programme, granting you access to some of the rarest wines in the world that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
Park90
1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249715
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9. Common Man Night Shift
ABOVE Wine over a duck and foie gras pie at Common Man Night Shift
Occupying the space where wine bar Drunken Farmer used to be is Common Man Night Shift, Common Man Coffee Roaster’s after-dark concept. Equipped with electric neon lighting and a well-stocked bar, Common Man Night Shift’s undeniably sexy interior is the perfect place to unwind after a long day working in the Central Business District by knocking back its extensive selection of natural wines.
Offerings like the Lammidia Bianco Anfora 2020, an orange wine, stuns with its unexpected minerality, with hints of pineapple and kimchi. A Bodega Cueva by Mariano Vi Viu 2020 steals the spotlight with its light yet sharp attack of red berries in its expression of rosé, and a highlight of the white win selection includes the Lise et Bertrand Jousset 2019 from the Loire Valley in France, which is crisp and light with a hint of yellow apples.
Common Man Night Shift, 11-12 Stanley Street, S(068730), +65 6877 4855
10. Praelum
ABOVE Wines on offer at Praelum (Photo: Praelum)
Located in Duxton Hill’s trendy conservation area is Praelum, a wine bistro dreamt up by wine aficionado Elizabeth Lin and helmed by two-time National Sommelier Champion and President of the Sommelier Association of Singapore Gerald Lu. Its walk-in cellar boasts about 1,000 bottles of wine, with an ever-changing bottle list every single day.
For the best experience, opt for Praelum’s “wine flights”, a series of three to five customisable wines to your preference, or thematic flights such as the “Cabernet the Bastard King”. Some of the most premium wines you can find here include the Meursault Coche Dury 2019, a white with honey and lime aromas and a hint of toasted hazelnut, or the Pauillac Château Latour 1982, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend that carries its time in oak with its dark berry profile and scents of cigar, smoke, and soil.
Praelum, 4 Duxton Hill, S(089590), +65 6238 5287
