Cover The rolling hills of Pasa Robles, California, is an up-and-coming wine region you should know about (Photo: Adelaida Vineyards and Winery)

Move aside, Burgundy and Bordeaux, there’s a world of emerging wine regions waiting to be discovered. Singapore’s top sommeliers clue us in on some of these hidden gems

The late great Ernest Hemingway once said: “My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink more wine.” With today’s ever-evolving wine landscape, with plentiful options that often go beyond the old-money prestige and exclusivity of Burgundy and Bordeaux, there’s no room for that regret. Playing it safe is a surefire way to suck the fun out of any room. Of course, the comforting allure of Old-World wines remains rooted in tradition but there’s no denying the modern palate’s constant hunt for good quality pours from new regions waiting to be discovered.

Like it or not, the appetite for wine is growing for the next big thing in viticulture, and sommeliers, who have their finger on the pulse, know that all too well. To uncover these up-and-coming wine territories, Tatler Dining taps into the vinous expertise of Singapore’s top sommeliers for the best ones to watch.

Read more: The best gourmet wine bars in Singapore for a vinous pour

Hokkaido, Japan

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Above There is a growing interest and demand for Japanese wines around the world (Photo: Getty Images)

When it comes to Japanese wine, most enthusiasts may have heard about the prized wines from the rolling hills of Yamanashi or even the mountainous Nagano prefecture. But Hokkaido is also quickly becoming the centre of attention, thanks to its unique terroir and microclimate, resembling the renowned regions of Champagne and Alsace. “The region has great seasonal variations and water resources that are vital for winemaking,” says Lesley Liu, the head sommelier of three-Michelin-starred French restaurant Odette.

Echoing Liu’s sentiment is Roberto Duran, the head sommelier of private wine club 67 Pall Mall Singapore, and Mason Ng, the wine director of private wine club Park 90. Both men are equally excited to see the growing interest and demand for Japanese wines. As Ng explains: “Like Champagne and Jura, Hokkaido was once deemed unfit for making quality wines as it often produced light, diluted and green (unripe) wines. However, with global warming effects in play, these regions are now producing many good examples of perfectly ripe red wines.”

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Above Japanese winemakers are slowly turning their focus to growing international grape varieties for more modern tastes and styles (Photo: Getty Images)

Japan experiences higher humidity and rainfall, contrasting those of major wine-producing regions. Hence, hybrid grapes are cultivated to withstand harsher conditions. While Japanese winemaking traditionally focuses on producing wines made from hybrid grapes, Liu believes that things are changing. “Japanese winemakers are slowly turning their focus to growing international grape varieties for more modern tastes and styles,” adds Liu, noting that the Burgundian pinot noir is currently having its moment in Hokkaido.

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Above Takahiko Soga is the Japanese winemaker behind the lauded winery Domaine Takahiko of Yoichi (Photo: Domaine Takahiko)

For one of Hokkaido’s most sought-after pinot noirs today, the name Takahiko Soga—a Japanese winemaker who founded the lauded winery Domaine Takahiko of Yoichi (Western Hokkaido) back in 2010—crops up a fair bit. Duran, an avid fan of Domaine Takahiko, expresses his admiration, highlighting that “Soga’s love for winemaking and commitment produces something truly special”. There is incredible demand for Domaine Takahiko Nana-Tsu- Mori pinot noir.

With an average production of only twenty thousand bottles annually, Domaine Takahiko resorts to selling their wines on a pre-order lottery system. It was also the first Japanese wine to grace the wine list of the lauded Danish restaurant Noma since 2020. Soon, Hokkaido will promise more than just a ski destination.

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Above Domaine Yui is a young and promising wine estate in Yoichi, run by Japanese couple Aya and Tetsuya Sugiyama (Photo: Domaine Yui)

Ng, on the other hand, is placing his bets on Domaine Yui, a young and promising wine estate in Yoichi, run by Japanese couple Aya and Tetsuya Sugiyama. Having personally visited the winery not long ago, Ng tasted the Domaine Yui Kimura A3 pinot noir 2023 and it was love at first sip. The stunning vintage is “amazingly fresh”, reminding him of wines by the relatively unmatched Domaine Takahiko. Citing the estate’s minuscule production of wines, Ng warns: “The growth of this region (Hokkaido) is rapid. Grab your bottles before the price goes up.”

Yunnan, China

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Above The high altitude terroir of Xiao Pu Wine Brewery vineyard in Shangri-La, Yunnan (Photo: Xiao Pu)

The Chinese government’s ambition for wine is resolute enough to move mountains. The poster child for the Chinese wine movement is none other than the province of Ningxia, which in the past decade has rapidly risen and is widely billed as China’s leading wine-producing region. But Yunnan province is not to be overlooked. “With such high altitudes, dry funnelled winds, and great sunshine, Yunnan produces fresh, mineral-driven wines that are beautifully balanced,” says Reuben Khew, head sommelier of three-Michelin-star neo-Nordic restaurant Zén.

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Above Yunnan is a breathtaking region that is quickly gaining traction among legions of sommeliers (Photo: Domaine Muxin)

It is no secret that this breathtaking region, with vineyards flanked by the Himalayas, is quickly gaining traction among legions of sommeliers. While French luxury conglomerate LVMH’s award-winning winery Ao Yun leads the charge with its prestigious Bordeaux red blend, other wineries emerge from obscurity into the spotlight. Khew cites Domaine Muxin, a small batch winemaker, as one of his favourite producers: “Owner-winemaker Mu Chao has earned his stripes in France, sharpening his winemaking technique in famed estates such as Domaine Clos de Tart, Domaine du Clos des Fées, Northern Rhone’s Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, and even Vérité Winery in Sonoma, California.”

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Above Ian Dai is the founder of Xiao Pu Wine Brewery (Photo: Xiao Pu)

With aspirational winemakers like Mu returning from abroad, Chinese boutique wineries are reshaping their winemaking practices. Harnessing the potential of expressive high-altitude terroir of Yunnan and using commonly known varieties while incorporating international techniques and perspectives, Mu is celebrated for producing world-class wines of elegant, silky cabernet-based reds, and mineral-driven yet textural chardonnays.

Justin Wee, assistant head sommelier of Raffles Singapore, echoes Khew’s enthusiasm for Chinese wines. His standout pick highlights Cèlébre Winery, a young venture by two Chinese brothers Zhan Huangen and Zhan Hangrun, who hail from a tea family in Chaozhou. Another young producer to watch is Ian Dai, who founded roving winery Xiao Pu Wine Brewery. From low intervention to natural fermentation, Dai’s winemaking philosophy and forward-thinking spirit make him a highly sought-after figure.

Paso Robles, California

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Above Paso Robles’ unique terroir and favourable growing conditions hold the key to producing top-shelf wines when in the right hands (Photo: Getty Images)

When one thinks of Californian wines, the mind instantly drifts to Napa Valley, Sonoma County or even Santa Barbara County. After all, since the release of the hit wine film Sideways in 2004, these fabled regions have been on legions of oenophiles’ bucket lists. But Daisuke Shibuya, head sommelier of one-Michelin-starred Tokyo-Italian restaurant Terra, has his money on the Paso Robles region instead. With diverse soils, long growing seasons, and a distinct meso-climate experiencing greater day-to-night temperature swings than any other appellation in California, Paso Robles’ unique terroir and favourable growing conditions hold the key to producing top-shelf wines when in the right hands.

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Above Zinfandel, a Pasa Robles’ heritage wine varietal, even has an annual festival every summer held in its honour (Photo: Getty Images)

Having spent four years studying wine in Santa Barbara from 2003 to 2007, Shibuya recalls: “This area was chosen by a group of winemakers known as the ‘Rhône Rangers’ for its suitability for Rhône varieties like syrah and grenache.” Other Italian grape varietals such as nebbiolo, sangiovese and primitivo (zinfandel) are commonly grown here, thanks to the region’s large Italian immigrant population. He continues: “Zinfandel (Pasa Robles’ heritage wine varietal) even has an annual festival every summer held in its honour!”

From the charming tasting rooms of pioneering family-owned winery J. Lohr and unique wine cave tours of the storied Eberle Winery to a postcard-worthy hilltop tasting at Adelaida Vineyards and Winery, these are some of the best ones to check off the list.

New Spain

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Above Vineyards on black volcanic soil at the valley of La Geria in the Canary Islands, Spain (Photo: Getty Images)

For the longest time, tempranillo is perhaps Spain’s most dominant grape varietal, responsible for some of the best Spanish wines from regions such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero. But Kathryn Wong, senior sommelier of modern Italian fine dining restaurant Somma, reckons she has found something much more exciting: New Spain. Disgruntled with the ways of Old World Spain, a new generation of winemakers dares to be different, banding together to form a coalition-like viñateros (artisanal wine grower) movement.

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Above Producers like Bodega Cerrón are leading the way for New Spain (Photo: Bodega Cerrón)

From corpinnat, a trendy new variant of cava from the Penedès region, to monastrell (mourvèdre in Southern France), central Spain’s answer to deep, smoky reds, the viñateros movement brings on waves of highly experimental—sometimes unorthodox—winemaking philosophies across Spain. “Producers like Bodega Cerrón are leading the way,” shares Wong. Run by the Cerdán family, who have been connected to the land since 1895, Bodega Cerrón’s dedication to biodynamic practices—from hand-harvesting the grapes to using native yeasts and minimal intervention—blends parts of tradition with a fresh, sustainable approach to winemaking.

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Above Wine sampling in the Penedès wine region south of Barcelona (Photo: Getty Images)

Highlighting that the vineyard’s unique terroir shines through best in the Los Yesares Monastrell 2021 vintage, Wong affirms, “The family is doing incredible things with their old monastrell vines, which were planted in 1942.” According to Wong, the exemplary vintage is a masterclass in balancing freshness and depth, with “bright red fruit flavours, floral notes and a touch of spice, all beautifully complemented by a lively acidity that makes it so vibrant”, making it the perfect representation of the forward-thinking winemaking philosophy coming out of New Spain today.

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