NOUVEAU TERRITORY

Wining and dining in Bali never get old, especially since the island produces not only fine examples of the latter, but also wonderful specimens of the former

Bali makes wines – please don’t sound so surprised – and a lot of them are of great quality. Visitors to the island can also go on tours of vineyards or take wine-tasting classes. Most of the wines mentioned in the following pages are made using grapes grown in Bali, including in the Gerogak, Seririt and Buleleng regencies, while others use imported grapes from wine-producing regions in Australia or Chile. Everything else – from fermentation to aging – is done in Bali.

As such, the island now has an impressive array of fine-tasting wines for regular drinkers, wine connoisseurs and even first-time drinkers alike. Quite a few of them have garnered international acclaim and won awards.

All in all, Bali’s winemakers have proved themselves as competent viticulturists and skilful vintners who, at the same time, contribute to local communities and the island’s culinary culture. So, when you can finally return to Bali or if you’re simply in the mood to sample new and proven wines, why not consider these Bali-based winemakers?

HATTEN WINES

There are Old World Wines, New World Wines, and then there’s New Latitude Wines from countries like Thailand, India and Indonesia. Hatten is arguably the pioneer of Bali wine, having started creating its own in 1994. Established by Ida Bagus Rai Budarsa, Hatten currently offers a range of 10 wines that are produced with grapes harvested in its Seririt and Sanggalangit vineyards in North Bali. Those are then vinified, matured and bottled in the brand’s Sanur winery. Hatten’s wines reflect Bali’s unique tropical terroir. The brand is also notable for being the only producer of méthode-traditionelle sparkling wine and solera-aged fortified wines on the island. Hatten’s Tunjung Brut Sparkling is said to be the island’s best kept secret, made of a grape named Probolinggo Biru grown on its beloved vineyard. In 2007, Hatten launched a new portfolio, Two Islands – followed in 2017 by Two Islands Reserve – that features a range of Australian wines created by winemaker James Kalleske using imported grape from South Australia. Hatten also offers certified wine education classes based on an extensive training program covering everything from basic wine knowledge, wine and food pairing, sommelier programs to wine list efficiency management.

PLAGA

Plaga believes that wine is for everybody, everywhere. Naturally, with its easy-tofind, easy-to-drink concept, the brand is perfectly situated to market its wines to a new generation of wine enthusiasts. Launched back in April 2013, the company imports grapes from Chile and Western Australia to produce 10 variants of wine under the direction of two winemakers, Pablo Gonzales and Jordi Sanvincen. They are made under the same vinification guidelines as prestigious vineyards in Australia, Chile and California. Furthermore, Plaga also employs a special Italian bottling line to ensure perfect seals and the correct wine evolution in the bottle. One final interesting note for this winemaker is that while Plaga’s headquarters is in Kuta, its winery is located in Plaga village, in the northern region of Badung.

CAPE DISCOVERY

This brand started 10 years ago from a collaboration between an Indonesian and Australian wine company. Cape Discovery uses grapes grown in various wine regions around the world such as Australia, France and New Zealand. The grapes are immediately frozen after harvesting and then sent directly to the brand’s state-of-theart winery in Northern Bali. The freezing process is meant to capture the essence of the fruit and prevent immediate fermentation. Moreover, it ensures that the colour, flavour and texture when extracted are soft, especially for red wines. Cape Discovery offers six different wines: There’s the 2013 Cabernet Merlot (55-percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 45-percent Merlot), the 2012 Shiraz, the NV Sparkling Brut Cuvée, the 2014 Chardonnay, the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and finally its 2014 Rosé. The brand has notably won medals at international wine competitions including the IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) which is held in London, the CWSA (China Wine and Spirit Awards) and the Cathay Pacific International Wine and Spirits competition in Hong Kong.

SABABAY

In 2010, Mulyati Gozali and her daughter Evy Gozali established Sababay Winery in order to help local grape farmers in Bali. Since then, the company has launched 11 wines with distinct personalities and have won more than 30 awards and accolades at regional wine competitions such as the Korean Wine Challenge, the CWSA and the Sakura Wine Awards. Sababay has also won an award at the AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge 2017 where it outdid wine producers from 40 countries. The winery is located at the bay of Saba Beach – hence its name. Sababay’s wines are created by Indonesian sommelier Yohan Handoyo and Bordeaux-born winemaker Nicolas Delacressionnere. Although not all wines from Sababay uses grapes from Bali, its Sababay White Velvet is made from Muscat Saint Vallier, a grape variety that’s quite hard to find anywhere else. Another Sababay wine definitely worth a try is the Mascetti Port-style wine, which is a blend of Australian Shiraz and locally-produced Alphonse Lavallée grapes. It is also worth mentioning that Sababay wines are particularly great paired with Indonesian food.