Blog

Many of the world’s finest wine-growing regions are situated far from our home in Singapore. Traditional old world wines, like those from France or Italy, have to travel thousands of kilometres to reach us, while new world wines have to traverse even greater distances. The only exception may be wines from Australia or New Zealand, but these countries are still hours away by air.

As a major transport hub, importing items from around the globe into Singapore is usually not an issue. However wine is not just another mass market product. It is a living, breathing liquid that thrives in very specific conditions and spoils rapidly when exposed to temperature extremes, excessive light, or improper handling.

The problem of wine transport and importation is as old as the drink itself and the challenges have been tackled and surmounted for centuries. At Singapore Wine Vault we are as passionate about wine logistics as we are about the wine lifestyle. Here’s a quick behind the scenes look at how we import some of the finest wines into Singapore for our members.

1. Why Wine Needs To Be Transported Carefully

We love wine for the complex interplay of aromas and flavours. The richness of tannins, delicate balance of acidity, and expansive range of fruit and floral notes contribute to its value as a luxury product. But preserving these prized flavours means ensuring that a bottle of wine is transported within very specific parameters.

Wine is very sensitive to heat, and high temperatures can cause or speed up unwanted chemical reactions which can lead to the breakdown of aromatic compounds within the wine.

Prolonged exposure to heat also results in physical damage to the bottle itself, which can result in the cork being pushed out of the bottle and air entering. This causes the wine to spoil or develop cork taint, which gives the wine a musty, wet cardboard-like aroma.

2. How Do We Safeguard The Quality Of Our Wines?

Whether by air freight or onboard vessels, all our wine shipping is done with strict temperature-controlled measures in place. Ideally, wine should be contained between 13 – 15 degrees celsius to minimise the risk of spoilage. Specialised containers, with robust insulation and equipped with temperature control systems, are used to maintain consistent temperatures.

Direct sunlight is another great enemy of wine, and protocols are in place so that the wine is never taken out of protected environments. We also do quality control on our end when we receive a shipment of wine so that our members can be assured that it has arrived in optimal conditions.

Learn More:From Vine To Table: How Exquisite Wines From Around The World Are Brought To Our Cellar

3. How Long To Let Wine Sit Before Uncorking?

Serving wine that has just arrived after a long transit is always a bad idea. Wine needs time to recover and readjust from any temperature fluctuations or agitations suffered during its journey. Doing this also gives the wine time to acclimate to its new environment, reach its optimal temperature for serving, and is an essential aspect of wine transporting.

Our state-of-art wine storage facilities provide the perfect climate-controlled setting for a bottle of wine to sit and regain its amazing flavours. Many wine cellars around the region offer storage services at around 18 to 20 degrees celsius. We go a step further by offering storage at temperatures as low as 12 degrees, depending on the type of wine.

Premium wines require top-notch storage facilities, and on our end, we have rigorous operating procedures all to ensure that every single bottle of wine in our cellar gets the same careful treatment. We are also one of the few warehouses in Singapore to have dedicated dehumidifiers in our vault – an important addition given our muggy climate.

At Singapore Wine Vault we take the utmost pride in sourcing for and preserving the finest wines in the world for our members to enjoy. For more information about the services we provide, and how you can become a member,contact us today and send us your questions.