Masterful move

Wine writer, educator and consultant Richard Hemming is the latest Master of Wine to land in Singapore. We caught him for a chat ahead of his big move.

Singapore will be a big discovery for me. I’ve heard brilliant things about the dining scene, so I expect to discover lots of wine through restaurants. Pinot Palooza is happening in November, which I want to attend.

I am already in touch with a few Singaporeresident professionals – including fellow MWS Tan Ying Hsien and Annette Scarfe – so I trust they will introduce me to more things.

I am keeping my wine in a friend’s London cellar. The funny thing is that British wine professionals constantly complain about how high wine tax is in the U.K. I guess everyone thinks their own country’s taxes are too much! I will just have to get used to Singapore prices.

My favourite aspect of seven years in wine retail was working with both colleagues and customers. In Mclaren Vale, I loved learning winemaking in a practical way, but it was a hugely demanding job and one vintage was enough for me.

As a writer for 11 years now, I communicate about less mainstream wines; the niche discoveries and emerging regions or varieties that make the wine world so dynamic. I’d like to keep up the blog on my own website while championing oft under-appreciated styles like sherry and Riesling. Drinking top-quality Champagne and English sparkling wine would be nice too!

I love northern Rhône reds, and since Jancis Robinson MW asked me to cover en primeur for the whole region, I have come to really appreciate southern reds too. Guigal Côtes du Rhône is hugely impressive, but for a lesserknown wine, look to Stéphane Ogier’s La Rosine from the IGP Collines Rhodaniennes

– a beautiful Syrah and Viognier comparable with Côte-rôtie and Condrieu.