Gary Low spotlights Asian wines and winemakers at his new bar in Singapore. Nimmi Malhotra hears from the seasoned sommelier about his ambition to “expand the palate”. The latest wine bar in Singapore, Vitis Wine and Bistro, is also the world’s first bar to list only Asian wines. The wines belong to one of three categories: wines made on Asian terroir like Japan, China, Thailand and India; wines made by Asian winemakers across the world; and wines owned by Asian entities. Located in the heart of town in Duo Galleria, the bar was designed by the acclaimed Emma Maxwell Studio with glassware sourced exclusively from Kvetna. Almost half of the wines are exclusive in the market to Vitis; the rest are sourced locally from distributors. Vitis’ wine programme is curated by owner and seasoned sommelier Gary Low, previously seen at the city’s top spots like two Michelin-starred Jaan by Kirk Westaway and one Michelin-starred Burnt Ends. In opening Vitis, Low has fulfilled a lifelong dream of championing the underdog Asian wine terroirs, mostly relegated to the back end of a fine dining menu and, at best, claim five percent of the entire list. “I felt it was time to do more, to celebrate Asian wines, Asian winemakers and producers,” Low says. “My ambition is to expand the palate and introduce Asian wines to locals.” Low has kept his eye on the growth of the ‘wine curious’ segment over the years. “When I was working with Jaan and Burnt Ends, a
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
