You don’t need to be an oenophile to know where the best wine drinking spots in Singapore are. We’ve done the groundwork for you. From where to find wine cocktails and tasting portions of exquisite wines, to a wine list proffering rare and exclusive bottles, this list of the best places to drink wine in Singapore is a wine novice’s secret to becoming well-versed in wine.
Caveau Wine Bar
With a name “Caveau” (which translates to “wine vault”), don’t be surprised to find exceptional French wines at affordable prices. Housing over 200 labels with an estimated 85% from France, Caveau is one of the few bars in Singapore with an enomatic wine dispenser that allows wines to be kept for up to two weeks.
A lovely citrusy wine (perfect for our humid weather) is the Anne Gros, Hautes Cotes de Nuits 2011 ($19 per glass; $90 per bottle) from the region of Bourgogne. Made of 100% Chardonnay, this dry white wine has blossoming aromas of citrus fruits that’s great with seafood. If you’re into reds, Rossignol Trapet, Gevrey Chambertin D.V. 2011 ($19 per glass) is a 100% Pinot noir from a small winery that has been producing wine since the 17th century.
1 Scotts Road
#01-10 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6737 2622
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 11pm
Fri to Sat: 12pm – 1am
Sun: 5pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
Les Amis
Les Amis is home to the largest selection of wines in Singapore, carrying nearly 2,000 labels of wines (housed in two temperature-controlled wine cellars)—half of which are exclusive in Singapore. While wines predominantly hail from the Old World, there are a number of exotic options from the New World available in the list.
1 Scotts Road
#02-16 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6733 2225
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2pm, 7pm – 9:30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
Napoleon Food & Wine Bar
Giving you the option of ordering exquisite wines (without breaking the bank), Napoleon offers a stellar range of 32 European wines available on enomatic wine dispenser machines—one of which is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Ancien Domaine des Pontifes 2011 ($18 per glass; $90 per bottle). This bio-organic wine is dense and dark, with a nose of ripe fruits (due to the purity of the soil).
A well-structured wine with fine tannins, we recommend pairing this with spicy dishes to fully savor its complexity. If you’re in the mood for something white, Graves blanc Château Claron 2010 ($13 per glass; $65 per bottle) is one of the best dry white wines in Bordeaux. Produced traditionally from a single grape variety of Sauvignon Blanc, this full-bodied wine flourishes with aromas of citrus fruits. We reckon this will go perfectly with the poached salmon ($21) and green pea purée.
206 Telok Ayer Street
Tel: +65 6221 9282
Mon to Fri: 11:30am – 12am
Sat: 6pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
Ô Batignolles Wine Bar
The French have a saying, ‘Life is too short to drink bad wine’. Believing in enjoying wine (without hefty price tags), French owner Antoine Rouland travels back to France three times each year to visit winemakers and vineyards, selecting wines from smaller producers.
Here, you’ll find vintages such as the Medoc 2001 Chasse Spleen at only $97 per bottle—a rare find in Singapore. Apart from a specially curated list of 100 wines on rotation (with 75 varieties available at any time), varieties of cheese are also available for pairing.
We recommend the cheese platter ($29) with our personal favorite, Cotes de Gascogne 2012 Domaine du Tariquet ($12 per glass; $55 per bottle). Made with four types of grapes, separately fermented before aging in French oak barrels, this white has an incredibly complex aroma profile of peach and vanilla with a subtle woody aftertaste—perfect with a floret of Tete de Moine (better known as “monk head”) cheese.
2 Gemmill Lane
Tel: +65 6438 3913
Mon to Sun: 12pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer
Taberna Wine Academy
If you’re a novice at wines, Taberna Wine Academy is the best place to learn the basics, and sample some exclusive wine labels while you’re at it. What’s really great about this spot is its extensive availability of wine verticals (wines from the same producer and vineyard with differing vintages).
Such is the German Riesling from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt (from $81 per bottle) with a dozen wine verticals dating back as far as 1983. Beginners interested to learn the technique of wine tasting can attend the introduction to wine appreciation ($100) where you’ll get to taste and sample eight different styles of wine. A range of professional courses are also available for veterans looking to hone their skill.
17 Binjai Park
Tel: +65 6762 5570
Mon to Sun: 5pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Dover
Vida Vino
A fairly new entrant to the winery scene, Vida Vino (translating into “the wine life”) is about making merry without your wallet having to suffer. With a personal selection of 60 wines (by owner Aaron Olivera) that start from $12 per glass, this wine bar stands to give competitors a run for their money.
The Beronia ($85 per bottle) is such—opening with subtle notes of flowers and fruit before blossoming into a refreshingly crisp and spicy finish, this wine pairs extremely well with the iberico ham platter ($23)—a range of Joselito iberico ham (the best in Spain). As for sipping cocktails, Vida Vino has done an exceptional job in crafting some pretty smooth-drinking concoctions. From Spain with Love ($18) consists of “secret ingredients” that results in an edgy, bittersweet cocktail—we managed to make out notes of Spanish white wine and raspberry brandy.
29 Keong Saik Road
Tel: +65 6222 1963
Mon to Tue: 6pm – 11pm
Wed to Sat: 6pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Outram Park
About the writer
Mandy Lynn is a former I-S Magazine nightlife writer and current editor of Nookmag; her dining and nightlife features have been published in Appetite Asia and Catalog Magazine. For on-the-go food recommendations, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, or join her on a Gourmet Adventure.
Thanks for sharing singapore best places to drink wine, very nice presentations.
You forgot Merchants at 52 Duxton Road – exclusively boutique wine at cellar door prices.
Winemakers on the tasting bench regularly pouring wines and sharing stories. It’s the real deal!