Plume at Pan Pacific Singapore invites you to an evening of wine with a difference. The vibrant bar is already known for its cocktails inspired by Singapore’s native tropical birds and their feathers or plumes. This month, it launched The Vine Migration, an innovative wine programme designed by beverage manager and certified sommelier Matthew Chan who previously helmed the drinks menus at Nouri and Appetite.
The Vine Migration introduces 50 wines, sorted by wine flights. A flight is an insider term meaning a wine selection of three to five wines with something in common. The chosen wines are always served together, and guests are encouraged to compare and contrast the sips or drinks from the lightest to the boldest.
At Plume, Chan has curated nine wine flights with three or four wines each and grouped them under fun themes that will appeal to traditional, adventurous, and daring wine lovers.
“We are trying to use wines that people will recognise,” said Chan, as we spot celebrated Italian wines like Ornellaia, Gaia, Fontodi and the French producer, Domain Leroy. But he also weaves in some unknown gems to dazzle your palate, like wines from under-the-radar regions of Hungary and Israel and rarities such as a 1988 Madeira wine made with the near-extinct Terrantez grapes.
Starting from $49, the first flight introduces “Albariño, Alvarinho & Alvarinha”- three names of the same grape which originally hails from the Galicia region in northwestern Spain. Chan finds three varied expressions of the grape from South Africa, Spain, and neighbouring Portugal, each different in its profile, ranging from citrus to orchard fruit core, displaying salinity and savoury elements.
Some titles are playful suggestions. The “Pinot Noir?” flight ($109) offers no pinot noirs but alternative grapes such as Gaja Barbaresco from the Piedmont region and a beautiful Duncan Savage Cinsault from South Africa. Similarly, the “Sauvignon Blanc?” flight ($59) offers three alternatives to the grape – all white, acidic, and aromatic.
Our favourite was the Toscana flight ($159), a beautiful representation of Tuscany’s versatile Sangiovese used in the wine styles of Chianti, Brunello, and Super Tuscan. On offer: the Fontodi “Vigna Del Sorbo” Chianti Classico, Super Tuscan Ornellaia and a Brunello named Luce Delle Vite.
The wines are served with newly launched bites, which include the must-order Poultry Parfait – a luscious, handcrafted chicken liver parfait crafted in-house at the hotel and the Mapo Dip & Chips, an Asian take on chips and dips.
Plume is at Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039595, and is open daily from 5pm to 1am. For more information or reservation queries, visit here.
