You’ve stumbled upon a wine, and the label isn’t familiar; you don’t recognise the producer, region, or even the grape variety.
Do you take the risk?
Or, do you quietly put it back on the shelf and buy the bottle you recognise?
There’s a reason people reach for familiar wine labels. When you’ve enjoyed a wine before, it feels safe to buy it again. You know what you’re getting, and you probably won’t regret opening it.
But there’s risk in that as well because sticking with labels you recognise can also mean missing out on some tremendous wines.
At Terroir, many of the wines we bring into Singapore come from producers the average wine drinker won’t necessarily be familiar with. That’s part of what we love so much about them.
So, how do you decide whether an unfamiliar bottle is worth the risk?
Start with what you already like
The great thing about wine is you don’t need to know a lot about it to make a solid choice.
The best starting point is what you know you enjoy.
If your normal tipple is a Pinot Noir, for example, think about why you like it. Do you prefer fruity-driven wines? Lighter reds? Something smooth rather than heavy?
If you’re the first to pour Sauvignon Blanc, is it because you like fresh, crisp whites with citrus notes? If you love Chardonnay, do you prefer it rich and buttery, or do you want something fresher and more restrained?
They may seem like small details, but they’re more useful than knowing the name of your favourite bottle.
Once you figure out what you like about a specific wine, it’s much easier to look beyond the label and find those qualities elsewhere.
Look at the grape
Grape variety is the first and easiest clue to consider on a bottle.
If you recognise the variety, then you have somewhere to start.
That being said, you shouldn’t automatically dismiss a wine because the grape is unfamiliar either. There are hundreds of grape varieties being grown all over the globe, and some are more famous than others. So, trying a variety you’ve never heard of doesn’t mean taking a wild gamble.
Always read the description, and look at whether the wine is light or full-bodied, dry or sweeter, fruity or savoury. Look at what flavours are mentioned and think about whether they sound like something you might enjoy.
You never know when an unfamiliar grape shares commonalities with one you enjoy.
Where does it come from?
Region can tell you quite a bit about a wine, but you don’t memorise a wine atlas before you go shopping. There’s no need.
While winemaking traditions, climate, and soil influence what’s in the bottle, it’s worth remembering that the same group can produce markedly different wines when grown in two different places.
If you recognise the region, that’s great, but if you don’t, that’s a good reason to read a little more before you move on.
At Terroir, we craft our wine descriptions to provide enough information for you to understand what you’re looking at without expecting you to know everything about the region already. Because sometimes, “I’ve never heard of that place” is a good enough reason to try the wine.
Find out who’s behind the bottle
The story behind the wine is one of our favourite parts; it becomes so much more interesting when you learn about the people making it.
We work with a small group of boutique producers. Some have worked their vineyards for generations; some are new to the game but release small quantities annually. Some of our producers prefer organic, biodynamic, or sustainable practices.
Learning about the producer won’t tell you whether you’ll love the wine, but it does tell you more about what you’re buying.
It’s one of the key reasons we share producers’ stories on the Terroir website. They’re more than a name on the bottle; they’re the genius behind the label.
Don’t let the label do all the work
Wine labels come in all shapes, designs, and sizes, from traditional, minimalist, whimsical, beautiful, confusing, and sometimes, odd.
They’re also not necessarily the best indication of whether you’ll enjoy what’s inside. The same is true of an expensive-looking bottle.
As eye-catching as packaging can be, whether familiar or impressive, we want to know more about what’s behind the label.
Who makes the wine, where were the grapes grown, what methods do they use to farm and make the wine, and what does it taste like? Most importantly, is it good?
Those are the questions that matter the most to us.
Read the description – but look for useful information
Everyone knows wine descriptions get carried away. So, if you’re trying to decide what to buy, you probably don’t need a screed that waxes poetically about the six fruits, three flowers, and the exact type of forest floor that’s supposedly hiding in your glass.
Look for the information that will help you make the right choice.
- Is it light, medium or full-bodied? Which do you prefer?
- Is it dry or sweet?
- Is it fresh and crisp or is it rich and round?
- Is the red soft and fruity, or is it more structured and tannic?
- What food might it pair best with?
Those are the details most useful to go on.
And if you’re still unsure, just ask.
How does Terroir choose an unfamiliar wine?
Of course, there’s another side to all of this. We don’t just pick bottles at random. Before an unfamiliar bottle ever reaches Terroir, we’ve considered whether we think it’s worth bringing into Singapore.
Being different isn’t enough to swing it in any wine’s favour, because we’re interested in discovering producers and wines that aren’t already everywhere, but there still has to be a compelling reason for us to choose them.
“ The wine itself always comes first. ”
We learn about the producers, their way of working, the quality, and value and most importantly, we taste it. We’re interested in what makes that particular producer or bottle worth paying attention to.
We love seeing producers who use organic practices, but that’s just part of the story; they aren’t enough on their own.
Ultimately, we sell what we want to drink. If we wouldn’t pour it at home, we wouldn’t ask you to.
Give the smaller producers a chance
Some of the most fascinating wines are from small family producers, boutique brands releasing a select number of bottles each year, or winemakers who have a reputation in the wine industry rather than the general public.
Does that automatically make the wine better? No, but it is a great reminder to look beyond the label and name recognition when you’re choosing a bottle of wine.
Champagne Augustin
Champagne Augustin is run by Marc and Emmanuelle Augustin in Avenay-Val-d’Or, where their family history in winemaking stretches back nine generations.
There’s plenty about Augustin you probably won’t guess from looking at the label. Take Cuvée Gaïa Rosé Millésime 2014. It’s made entirely from Pinot Noir from old vines and, after bottling, the Champagne is taken back to the vineyard and buried underground for 24 months to mature.
It’s an unusual story, but there’s still a simple question to ask. Would you enjoy drinking it?
Gaïa is a deeper style of rosé Champagne with red fruit, floral notes and plenty of complexity. If you’re looking for something a long way from the familiar Champagne labels, this certainly qualifies.
Château de L’Ou
Séverine and Philippe Bourrier bought Château de L’Ou near Perpignan in 1998 and began converting the vineyard to organic farming straight away.
Today the estate produces quite a range of wines, but Secret de Schistes 2020 is a good example of why an unfamiliar producer is worth a closer look.
It’s 100% Syrah, made from handpicked grapes and aged in the same oak barrels used for fermentation. The result is a rich wine with blackberry, plum, herbs and spice, and it has picked up some impressive reviews along the way.
You may never have heard of Château de L’Ou. But if Syrah is already one of the grapes you enjoy, suddenly that unfamiliar label doesn’t feel like such a gamble.
Amastuola
Then there’s Amastuola in Puglia.
The estate’s vineyards are certified organic and planted across a landscape of sweeping vine rows and old olive trees. There are familiar grapes here as well as some you might not buy very often.
Vignatorta is made from Syrah and Primitivo. So even if Primitivo is new to you, Syrah gives you something familiar to start with.
It’s fruity, with blackberry, prune and sour cherry, along with spice and fine tannins. Terroir recommends it with red meat as well as poultry, turkey and duck.
Sometimes that’s all you need when trying something new. One thing you recognise and a good reason to give the rest a go.
Try one bottle
We’re not suggesting you completely change how you buy wine.
We want you to enjoy the wine you drink, so keep buying the wines you know and love. But now and then, we would love for you to try one you don’t recognise.
Start with a grape you like. Pick something for the food you’re eating. Read about the producer, ask us for a recommendation, or choose a bottle because the description sounds like a good match for your tastes.
The worst that can happen is it doesn’t become your new favourite.
But what if it is?
Next time you see that unfamiliar label, it won’t feel unfamiliar anymore.
