RAISING THE BAR
Fine wines from France
Family-owned Champagne Billecart-salmon celebrates its 200th anniversary with a series of gastronomic events around the world, including an Alain Passard dinner at Odette in Singapore and a grand event at the maison in June. You’ll also want to get your hands on a very limited edition Cuvée 200. Just 3,000 magnums and 300 jeroboams have been produced, using primarily Pinot Noir from its Grand Cru holdings. A very small allocation of the magnum ($1,808) will be available from Sarment Singapore. Contact sales.sg@sarmentwine.com for more details. Ma Cuisine, the legendary Beaune wine restaurant, has opened its second outlet – in Singapore. Mathieu Escoffier, son of founders Fabienne and Pierre Escoffier, is in charge of the casualtraditional French cuisine, while Anthony Charmetant oversees the tremendous wine offerings. The mustachioed business partners are at pains to emphasise that they are a 40-seater wine bar first, restaurant second, so the rightful focus is on the 3,000-plus bottle wine list. The Port and Madeira cellar is filled with treasures from the last century, with some such as the Gould Campbell 1985 Vintage Port necessitating neck cutting work with hot tongs, as the cork is too old to extract with a corkscrew. While Old World wines dominate – think up and coming Domaine Tessier Mersault Les Casse Tetes 2015 ($132) to Maison Chapoutier Hermitage L’ermite Blanc 2012 ($900) – the menu springs a few surprises from the U.S., Italy and soon Lebanon, Hungary and Portugal. 38 Craig Road. Tel: 6224 1838
Merci Marcel’s excellent wine and cheese programme is a refreshing addition to the scene, where the
Marcel Wine Cellar houses over 80 independent labels handpicked and imported exclusively to Singapore. The wine list is well-designed by mood, for welcome whites and date night, for instance. If you’re already a fan of truffled Brillat de Savarin with a juicy Viognier from cult winemaker Domaine Gilles Flacher, then try something more esoteric in the 36-month aged Comté with a Chinon Cabernet Franc from Domaine de l’r, with savoury depths that lengthen the flavours of both. #01-68, 56 Eng Hoon Street. Tel: 6224 0113
As the second largest producer of wine in the world, France is still the top choice for gastronomy. That leads us to So France, with 5,000 sq ft of artisanal food, wines and spirits across a bistro, wine bar, gourmet store and event space. The two-week-old concept brings its delicacies directly from every region in France, with a particular slant on the Nouvelle-aquitaine region in the southwest, or sud-ouest. Look out for bread and pastries, Bayonne ham, foie gras, charcuterie, cheese, and the liquid pairings in form of Cognac, Armagnac, Champagne, Bordeaux wines and Provence Rosé.
#01-51 to 56 Duo Galleria, 7 Fraser Street. Tel: 6828 1538