Living up to its name, Big Wine Freaks puts the fun in funk. Occupying a heritage building in the trendy Bukit Pasoh area, the champagne and wine bar bears a contemporary look and feel, accompanied by a thumping mix of groovy acoustics. Taking the open concept quite literally, the bar has no boundaries between the kitchen and dining spaces, inviting guests to be a part of the boozy theatre. From the revered terroirs of Champagne and Burgundy to the undiscovered gems of Jura, Beaujolais and Loire, the wine list—of more than 2,000 bottles and 500 labels—excels in spotlighting a new generation of winemakers.

Look out for the elegant L’Ouverture premier cru from Champagne producer Frederic Savart, which drinks with pristine clarity, and the gifted vigneron Marc Soyard’s Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne, which is astonishingly complex with minerals and spice. Food‐wise, expect European tapas interpreted with Japanese sensibilities—served on eccentric dinnerware designed by famed fashion designer Alessandro Michele, no less.

Big Wine Freaks
Address: 44 Bukit Pasoh Road, S(089857)

Read more: Champagne and wine bar Big Wine Freaks is a party diner that puts the fun in funk

Cosy but stylish, Mizue is Club Street’s freshest wine bar. What is a traditional Japanese kissaten-style café by day transforms into a chic wine bar by night. Wine lovers can revel in a well-curated selection of New and Old World wines: the former introduces bottles from Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, and Slovenia; the latter boasts vintages from France, Italy and Spain, with a focus on biodynamic, minimum intervention wines from up and coming boutique vineyards. Game for something different? Check out the modest sake list, featuring several categories from notable prefectures, from filtered and unfiltered to aged variants. While you’re at it, nibble on fusion Italian and Japanese fare—think Japanese king crab ravioli, carbonara udon, and pappardelle with kombu beef ragu.

Mizue
Address: 87 Club Street, S(069455)

There is finally a sexy wine bar with an edgy selection of wines in Katong: The Studio by Juice, a design‐led wine studio offering a tightly and well‐curated range of wines—comprising 150 vintages and still expanding. The dimly lit space on the second floor of a shophouse is rather amorous—perfect for dates or wine enthusiasts looking to unwind—and picking out a bottle is a stress‐free affair, as the knowledgeable crew is well-versed in casual wine speak.

Some particular favourites of ours include fresh and elegant styles from Maxime Magnon, especially the Metisse 2022; biodynamic wines from promising winemaker Thomas Batardiere, such as the L’esprit Libre 2021; and contemporary South African wines by Testalonga, such as the I Am the Ninja 2022 pet nat. The inclusive space also opens its doors to collaborative initiatives with local creatives—think craft workshops, gastronomic pop‐ups and even small‐scale wine fairs.

The Studio by Juice
Address: 39A East Coast Road, S(428756)

In case you missed it: Captivating wine films every wine lover and oenophile should watch

Finally, a haven for champagne lovers. Convivial is helmed by Yeo Xi Yang, one of Singapore’s youngest and most accomplished sommeliers, who most recently clinched the title of Best Sommelier of Singapore 2022. Here, the sparkling exuberance takes centre stage as the bar offers a variety of vinification styles and profiles. Think heritage pours like the Dom Pérignon 2002 and Krug Vintage 1996, as well as a variety of exciting new producers. For oenophiles who know a thing or two about stemware, Yeo serves his pours using Kvetna’s Auriga range. “The narrow base retains the effervescence, the wide bowl makes the wine release more aromas, and the long body allows the aromas to gather and recollect at the rim,” he expounds. For the peckish, there are light bites made up of white meat and seafood to go along with your glasses.

Convivial
Address: 11 North Canal Road, #01-01 The Offshore, S(048824)

Besides being known as one of the best oyster spots in town, Humpback has made drinking wine approachable for all casual drinkers. A peek into the wine menu will reveal easy-to-follow chapters with trendy yet witty descriptions of each wine varietal. From a thirst-quenching sauvignon blanc from New Zealand to a chewy malbec from Argentina, there are plenty of options to choose from in their extensive list. Come during the attractive happy hour to pair your glass with voluptuous oysters freshly flown in from Washington’s very own Hama Hama Oyster Farm. Go classic and pair it with any French muscadet to complement the saline nature of the bivalves. But if you’re feeling adventurous, try the dry furmint by Juliet Victor from Tokaj, Hungary which promises a bouquet of honey, apples, pear and a hint of oak.

Humpback
Address: 18-20 Bukit Pasoh Road, S(089834)

Read more: By the Glass: Egon Müller of the world-famous Scharzhofberger vineyard shares his favourite Asian food and wine pairings

Elegant yet lively and intimate, chef-owner Keirin Buck’s Le Bon Funk aims to serve up accessible wines that remain exciting on the palate. Under beverage director Jos Kjer’s direction, Le Bon Funk’s extensive wine menu includes a variety of winemaking styles, methods, and terroirs that embraces the “good funk” of good wine. Take the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Secco vigna Pagliaro 2015, an Umbrian red that has been aged 24 months in Slavonian oak casks with a rich, full body and a spiced aroma. Or look at the 2010 Domaine de l’Octavin Arbois Pamina La Mailloche, a rich chardonnay that shows the hard clay of the Mailloche vineyard through its minerality. With two locations at Club Street and Holland Village, it’s easy to indulge in more unknown wines with Buck’s produce-forward plates.

The brainchild of sommeliers Alvin Gho and Ian Lim, Wine Rvlt specialises in natural wines that prioritise quality and sustainability. Its walls are decked from floor to ceiling with an eclectic selection of wines, including the Steve Bettschen Metaphusis Savagnin La Neuveville 2017, a Swiss white wine that’s fruity with a slight minerality. It’s best accompanied by food that’s designed to be shared with friends and companions, like an uni butternut squash with caviar over dashi crystal bread, and beef tartare with smoked egg yolk, mustard ginger, and sago dashi crackers. The rambunctious wine outfit remains open at the point of writing after the announcement that it has no plans to renew the lease in 2025. Hence for the latest update, check in with social media before heading down.

Read more: By The Glass: Ian Lim, Sommelier at Wine RVLT

With chef-owner Rishi Naleendra (chef-owner chef of Cloudstreet), group beverage manager Benjamin Hasko and head sommelier Davis Tan at the helm, one can expect Fool to be an eclectic modern wine bar with a playful and witty vibe and fuss-free drinking. With a self-professed “edgy” wine list that includes wine producers from all over the world. Take, for instance, its selection of English sparkling wines, including a Ex Machina rosé ‘brut’ from Sugrue in Sussex, made with a mix of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, or a selection of ciders that actively refutes the heavy-handed flavouring and sugaring of commercial ciders in favour of offerings like the Trois Pepins Cidrerie du Vulcain, which is made with apples, pears, and quince.

The Winery Gourmet Bar is where you need to go if you’re a fan of Old World wines from Europe. Boasting one of the biggest collections of vintage European wines in Singapore, including from some of the most far-flung regions in the continent, the space is equipped with tasting rooms and private rooms for you to taste wines with exquisite expressions that will challenge your taste buds.

Some pours you can expect here is a Montelvini prosecco, a well-balanced wine made with 100% Glera grapes that still has an acidity underscoring its freshness. Elsewhere, a Domaine Bousquet malbec dominates the palate with notes of blackberry, plum and chocolate, with a full body and structure for a persistent finish.

The Winery Gourmet Bar
Address: 907 East Coast Road, 01-03 Springvale, S(459107), +65 9643 3188

Just opened last year on Orchard Road, Vin Geek boasts a 52-seater wine bar with an impressive collection of wines and cheeses from all over the world. What’s special about Vin Geek is its 24-bottle wine dispenser, which allows you to pour glasses of wine in 30ml, 90ml, and 150ml portions, perfect for moderating your intake or tasting a number of wines. 

One of the most premium wines on offer at this cool and playful bar is the Alión Ribera del Duero 2017, a red with a firm structure, gripping tannins, and floral and vanilla hints. If you’re looking for a real treat, go for the Roberto Voerzio Sarmassa di Barolo magnum, a 2006 vintage that is reminiscent of orange, candied fruit, and vanilla.

Vin Geek
Address: 9 Scotts Road, 01-04/05/06/07, S(228210), +65 6334 1622

In case you missed it: Meet China’s first female advanced sommelier who is reshaping global perceptions of Chinese wines

Located in the plush halls of Conrad Singapore Orchard, Park90 is an elegant wine lounge with an extensive selection of wines sourced from its network of local partners and winemaking houses all over the world, spanning grape varieties, styles, and terroirs. Some exclusive wines you can find here is the Domaine de la Grange des Pères 1999, an intense blend of cabernet sauvignon, mourvèdre, and syrah with hints of red fruit, clove, and mace. Those looking for more premium wines with limited release can also sign up for Park90’s membership programme, granting you access to some of the rarest wines in the world that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. 

Located in Duxton Hill’s trendy conservation area is Praelum, a wine bistro dreamt up by wine aficionado Elizabeth Lin and helmed by two-time National Sommelier Champion and President of the Sommelier Association of Singapore Gerald Lu. Its walk-in cellar boasts about 1,000 bottles of wine, with an ever-changing bottle list every single day. 

For the best experience, opt for Praelum’s “wine flights”, a series of three to five customisable wines to your preference, or thematic flights such as the “Cabernet the Bastard King”. Some of the most premium wines you can find here include the Meursault Coche Dury 2019, a white with honey and lime aromas and a hint of toasted hazelnut, or the Pauillac Château Latour 1982, a cabernet sauvignon-merlot blend that carries its time in oak with its dark berry profile and scents of cigar, smoke, and soil. 

Praelum Wine Bistro
Address: 4 Duxton Hill, S(089590), +65 6238 5287

NOW READ

Wine down: The best new wine bars in Singapore that opened in 2024

Vinovation: Heini Zachariassen of Vivino on democratising the wine industry with big data

The best sparkling wines to bring to parties, according to top sommeliers