The European, 161 Spring St, Melbourne, 3000; ph (03) 9654 0811 While some might take the view that every imported wine listed in an Australian restaurant robs a domestic winery of a marketing opportunity, I’m more economically rationalist in my response. If we don’t have a healthy presence of quality imported wines at all prices that reflect their terroir and winemaking attitude, how are Australians ever going to be inspired to enjoy and create our own diversity? A restaurant that takes this approach to a uniquely eccentric but tightly professional extreme is The European, one of Melbourne’s favourite wine restaurants. As its name suggests, there’s not an Australian wine in sight. Here’s a thoughtfully chosen and simply presented list of some size that handsomely succeeds in its ambition to offer a broadly diverse collection of whatever European wine suits your mood or budget. There’s stronger emphasis on the wines of Burgundy, the Rh̫ne and Italy, but if you arrive here with a European wine theme in mind, it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed. Zambuca, Level 3, Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore, 039595; ph 6337 8086 Every now and again, you stumble across a restaurant whose list is not only encyclopaedic in its depth, breadth and sheer immensity, but so fastidious, unexpected and broad reaching that you really don’t want to leave. Zambuca has one of those lists. Compiled by an American resident of Singapore in Michael Hadley, it is a multinational celebration of wine’s diversity in taste and origin. Following Hadley’s own interests, there’s a powerful presence of New World wine, principally from Australia, New Zealand and the United States, but also from South Africa, Chile and Argentina. By some margin, Italy receives the lion’s share of Old World attention (Zambuca is focused on modern Italian cuisine), with page after page of exhaustively catalogued entries. Stacked with dozens of mature back vintages keenly priced with intent to sell, this is an iconic list of compelling intrigue. I very much doubt there’s another list of Australian wines approaching it anywhere on the planet. Australian expats or travellers will want to take it home. Langar Hall, Langar, Nottinghamshire, NG 13 9HG; ph (01949) 860 559 The BBC’s Test Match Special commentary team has a regular booking at Nottingham’s Langar Hall Country House Hotel, and once you’ve been there, it’s no mystery why. It’s the family home of owner Imogen Skirving, a charming and instinctive hostess who appears to know each of her guests by name. Rather than to repeat the slow and irreversible decay of so many classic English country houses, Imogen decided that she would instead restore, revitalize and open up Langar Hall as a guesthouse and restaurant. Sited about 20km outside Nottingham, it’s set amid a picturesque setting of gardens, medieval carp ponds and ancient trees. While there’s an element of grandeur about the house and the restaurant, they’re anything but stuffy or stifling. An impressive and creative menu is partnered by a wine list that obviously reflects the cosmopolitan tastes of Imogen Skirving and her guests. With some emphasis on Bordeaux, especially the Right Bank, it’s dead easy to choose something to suit your taste and budget from Worlds Old or New. Test the list, but stay the night. Vino Vino, 2nd Floor Haekang Building, 643-2 Shinsadong Kangnamku, Seoul, ph 02 518 7871 Somewhere in the world is that perfect Italian wine list, cherry-picking from the best of the country’s diverse wine regions, showcasing the wines that you really want to taste but can never find, and priced at a rate you can actually afford to buy. The closest I have ever found to this fantasy is the list of a wine bar in Seoul, Korea. Vino Vino’s list is exclusively Italian and comprises more than 250 wines, most of which are red. Arranged by region, it captures icons, idiosyncratic wines and regional benchmarks alike. Its collection of rare and hardly seen Italians includes labels like Biondi Santi’s Brunello di Montalcino, Arnaldo Caprai’s Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni (Umbria), La Spinetta’s Monferrato Rosso ‘Pin’ (Piemonte) and Lombardy’s remarkable Nino Negri Sfursat 5 Stelle. Many of the prices are actually below LUC costs in this country, so armed with a handful of Australian dollars, one could see a lot of Italy at Vino Vino! Iggy’s, The Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road, 249715, Singapore, ph 6733 8888 Deep within every serious wine drinker there surely lies a pinot noir fanatic either in full flight or just waiting to come out. One of Asia’s leading wine authorities, Ignatius Chan, has well and truly learned to deal with Burgundy habit. Located in the Regent Hotel, Singapore, his restaurant, Iggy’s, is a tiny place whose wine list is a living, breathing and ever-changing monument to the region. Yes, there’s Champagne aplenty, a healthy acknowledgement of Bordeaux’ existence and even a selection devoted to Germany, Alsace and Torbreck. But the list simply exudes the intricate pleasures of fine Burgundy, featuring Chan’s favoured domaines, often with several different vintage listings per vineyard. It’s easily navigable, manageable in size and very personal, and of course Ignatius Chan is on hand to assist in the selection process. Prices are definitely within reach for the hard-bitten Burgundy drinker, especially given the present strength of the Australian dollar.
