Crystal Wines 柯睿诗特葡萄酒公司 (新加坡 和上海)
Text by 丹尼尔林. Photo by 林卓强.

以上: 柯睿诗特葡萄酒公司的 Wee Lee 先生.

When we come to think of wines, one familiar brand, Crystal Wines does ring a tune with local wine shoppers and drinkers. Tucked along River Valley Road in Singapore, with a new outlet in Hongqiao Road in Shanghai, 10 year old Crystal Wine is the remarkable brainchild of Mr. Tan Wee Han, 41 and his brother, Mr. Tan Wee Lee, 34 as seen in the above picture.

酒 gathers some insights, as we speak to Mr. Tan Wee Lee, a Singapore wine retail veteran who has been in business for at least a decade.

酒: Tell us about Crystal Wines. How it came about and your philosophy in wine?

We pride ourselves as one of Singapore’s major player in sourcing and supplying quality wines from the major wine regions of the world, both locally and in the region.

Crystal first started off in October 1998 together with Derrick Lee (whom left later to form Grand Vin), and Wee Han. Back then while we were at the old Paragon, our focus had been on brand management and catering to trade and private customers. In 2001, we entered into the spirits and beer distribution business, when we took over 10 year old, London-based Allied Domecq. It was only in 2004; with the onset and vast potential we see in the wine business, besides passion in wine, we decided to exit the spirits and beer business to refocus on wines. Since then, we grew from a 4-man team, to now 30 plus people.

Our businesses include the distribution of wines to the island’s hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs, besides the 1,000 labels to private wine buyers at our retail shop while storing them in temperature controlled climate.

We want to be the best, the largest and be known as one of the great wine & wine solutions companies in Asia.

酒: What was the first wine that made you realize you loved wine?

Wines are a mystery; it didn’t take a “particular” sip to make me realize my passion for wines. It was over a period of discovery, of learning, understanding and of course, tasting that made me realized that wines could be so different with so much personalities, just like a human personality. Why does a Shiraz from a warm climate taste so differently from a Syrah from a cool climate Syrah? What’s oaked Chardonnay and what’s not? How does terrior affect wine making? Wine appreciation is an art and is the fascination for a journey of discovery that makes me love wine. You never know what wine you will taste!

酒: So what makes Crystal wine a unique place to shop and explore about wine?

Unlike other wine shops that tend to give a more serious and monotonous look, we wanted to make learning and buying of wine at Crystal Wine fun. Hence, our 2,000 square feet retail outlet at Valley Point is draped in carpeted floor and wooden wine crates to lend that modern and stylish vibe.

Our retail shop is equipped with wireless Internet access and has a lifestyle corner for public and members to discover fine wines through related wine books and magazines. There is also a wine tasting corner where we organize wine tasting sessions for members.

酒: So surely you are in business to make money?

If we were to compare the business environment now and 10 years ago, what was a niche and small business then has now turn into a highly competitive market with many players with similar offerings as us.

The world is drinking more and more, and the world is drinking better. This is especially true in Asia whereby it is one of the fastest growing wine consumer centers in the world. So I think it would only be honest to say that we are in the moneymaking business to support our passion.

酒: Who are your customers and what do you notice about their wine habits?

60% of our customers are aged 25 to 40, while 40% 41 to 60 who are mainly PMEBs, doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs who have tertiary education. Interestingly, we also notice an increasing number of female wine drinkers.

The first group is what we call enjoyment- or image- oriented wine drinkers. They have the strongest purchasing power and lead the wine consumption trend. To them, sampling wine is a lifestyle preference. Drinking wine is no longer just for celebratory occasion but a reflection of their wealth and status. Also, their wine consumption is based largely on price, taste, and variety and branding.

The second group is known as conservative and knowledgeable wine enthusiasts.  This group of people tend to use wine related information to purchase wine, such as region of origins, wine maker, vintage and specific vineyard location. They are usually loyal to certain brands and some even buy their favorite wine as investments.

酒: You’re particularly renowned for your mix of French and Australian premium and fine wines. What makes these regions so special?

France (法國)
French wines have long been the benchmark for winemaking in most wine-producing countries in the world. In fact, France has always been the most influential country in the wine world and French wine plays an enormously important role in French identity and pride.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah, are some of France’s famous grape varieties, as well as the names of many French wine regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are also well-known throughout the world.

What makes France so special is because it has been dedicated to the art of wine making for longer than any other country with its earliest history going back to Roman times. Hence, France has more experience in fine wine making and grape growing. In addition, France has the perfect geographical location for growing grapes; having the perfect soil conditions, having the best climate - a combination of cold winds and a relentless sun, and being in close proximity to bodies of water mean the grapes produced under these conditions are very full bodied with very rich taste, resulting in some of the world’s best wine vintages.

Australia (澳洲)
Australia is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, exporting over 400 million liters a year to large international markets that include “Old World” wine-producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain. The wine industry is a significant contributor to the Australian economy through production, employment, export and tourism.

Australian wine is taking the world by storm, due to the quality of the grape stock combined with the skill and experience of its winemakers. With a huge land mass, a diverse climate from cold to cool to warm, and a wide variety of soil types, including the famous Coonawarra terra rossa, it is with no wonder Australian can create delicious wines of stunning quality, diversity and uniqueness, especially its famous Shiraz and Shiraz-Cabernet blends such as Penfolds Grange.

Interestingly, Australian wineries like to come up with the quirkiest names for their wine labels. Unlike Old World wineries, where most wines are labeled according to the vineyard’s name, vintage and grape varietals, Australian wines tend to have more attention-grabbing names.

酒: Coming back to Bordeaux, do you have a favorite appellation? Which is the most overrated? And the most underrated?

I have a soft spot for right bank wines; St Emilion & Pomerols work for me.  However, it will be unfair for me to judge on the overrated and underrated wines as this requires a vast tasting experience with Bordeaux wines and are much dependent on personal preferences.  I’m still experimenting!

酒: For some, Bordeaux has too often been “Bore”-deaux. Who and what make a Bordeaux wine an exciting wine for you?

The name of Bordeaux is worldly known as an exceptional brand image of great wines and it is also the largest fine wine-producing vineyard in the world. There are a couple of reasons why Bordeaux has too often been “Bore”-deaux, especially among the younger drinkers: The name itself conjures up images of old, dusty bottles and decanters. In addition, it is most famous for the most agreeable, as well as most pricey red wines of the world. Hence, older drinkers are more likely to be attracted to Bordeaux than younger drinkers.

Being made of a blend of grape varietals, you never know what you will taste and being the most unpredictable vintages in the world, it is therefore difficult to understand and appreciate without doing much reading beforehand

Compared to other wines, Bordeaux wines lacks creativity in terms of its wine techniques innovation, packaging and marketing.

However, by all economic yardsticks, Bordeaux is still the world’s leading wine region. People still pay through the nose at auctions and in futures markets to get their coveted bottles, and critics and wine buyers still descend on Bordeaux en masse each spring to assess the new vintage by subjecting themselves to hundreds of barrel samples.

In fact, Bordeaux developed the wine trade and spread wine consumption all over the world. Bordeaux influenced the production of wines all over the world. The most ambitious wineries in these regions have emulated Bordeaux be it in their viticulture, winemaking or business model. Even leading wine critics like Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, Robert M. Parker Jr., Stephen Tanzer, Michael Broadbent, Wine Spectator all embrace Bordeaux as the world’s leading wine.

What makes Bordeaux exciting for me is that you never know what the final taste of Bordeaux is. Despite the fact that young Bordeaux wines are constantly changing during their evolution and aging process in the barrels, some wines that ultimately turn out to be good to very good may be unimpressive or just dumb when tasted in their youth from the cask. Once good Bordeaux is tasted, particularly if it’s an old one, you know what the hubbub is all about.

酒: As with recent wine appreciation and movements, is wines in general becoming somewhat more expensive and challenging to upkeep?

Where do you see the wine scene heading in Singapore as a whole? Beside Singapore, in the light of Hong Kong scrapping their excise duties, what do you see in this region?

In the last twenty years, the worldwide wine industry has become increasingly internationalized, sophisticated, multi-lingual, operating in multi currencies, and information-intensive.

Given the quality and range of wines that consumer can find end enjoy, I see Singapore as a mature market which means the wine scene in Singapore will grow and be more vibrant in the days to come. In the past, Singaporeans associated wines as luxury item for the rich and famous. Things are changing to become more lifestyle driven, where drinking a glass of wine in a restaurant or at home are common.

Although Hong Kong recently abolished their taxes of wine and beer, reducing the prices of some wines by as much as 31%, I still see Asia, especially China having a huge potential in the wine industry.

This is so as Chinese economy is developing which will improve the wine industry. Its entry into WTO and the upcoming hosting of Olympic games mean there will be demand for wines and the wine market will expand.  In addition, China’s booming economy has a mix of wealthy expatriates, high-flying executives on business and nouveau riche Chinese who are attracted to high-end wines. With the reduction in imported tax; the competition between imported and domestic wine will be fiercer. Many foreign countries like America, Australia and France will continue to explore and expand into the Chinese wine markets.

酒: How do you find competition from the other players in this market?

If we were to compare based on scale of operations, there are only 3-4 competitors and they are mainly from aboard. Nevertheless, there are actually quite many small wine importers given Singapore as a tiny market. Due to their size, these small wine companies can afford to sell wines at a much lower cost and provide more personalized services to the customers.  Given such highly competitive environment plus the fact that Singaporeans appreciate and pursuit wine drinking culture more means we must continuously keep ourselves in the lead by providing excellent services and wide complete wine range at reasonable prices.

酒: What’s your newest find for under $40?

I highly recommend Kaiken’s Malbec from Argentina. Though not exactly new, but this is my all-time favorite!  Dark violet in color, it packs plenty of richness and purity of flavors including blueberry, cassis, mint, semisweet chocolate coffee while maintaining its focus on the fruits. Ripe tannins, excellent structure and ends off with an amazingly long and lingering after taste, this wine delivers awesome as well as absolutely value for money!

酒: Last but not least. Tell us what your company has in store for both your clients and consumers.

Backed with the strong support and positive revenue growth in Singapore, Crystal Wines has established its first retail shop in Shanghai. The sprawling two-storey retail shop, located at HongQiao Road, XiJiao Guest House, Garden Villa (East) has the mezzanine allocated for regular wine tasting sessions and alfresco settings for private customers to appreciate fine wines under clear skies.

Modeled after Crystal Wines Singapore retail outlet, the shop is draped in laminated wooden floor and wooden wine crates to lend that modern and stylish vibe. It is also coupled with a lifestyle corner for public and members to discover fine wines through related wine books and magazines in a convivial setting.

Mainly servicing private customers in the thriving Chinese market, Crystal Wines Shanghai provides a good range of top Bordeaux and French wines plus fantastic value-for-money everyday table wine to cater to different levels of wine enthusiasts. Moreover, Crystal Wines Shanghai also welcomes trade orders.

Back to Singapore, we will in the midst of expanding to bring more wines at affordable prices to our customers. We are also improving our services by introducing this new service which we termed as – Wine Safe. Wine lovers who are faced with limited storage space for their wine collection, can now store their wines in our high standard and large capacity bank, so that they can enjoy their wines in their best conditions anytime.

以上: Crystal Wines at Valley Point, in Singapore. 柯睿诗特葡萄酒贸易（新加坡).

以上: Crystal Wines at Hongqiao Road, in Shanghai. 柯睿诗特葡萄酒贸易 (上海).

For more information about Crystal Wines, please visit here.