{t o p Shelf} ** Wine Embassy * *
W
hen it comes to consulates, Ho Chi Minh City has them in swathes. But on the embassy front, you’re going to have to head to the capital, unless you don’t mind getting your consular services over a glass of wine. Opened at the end of 2012, Wine Embassy has tried to set itself up as an ambassador for that vine fruit of Bacchuslike wonder, the mighty grape. And by all accounts, so far it seems to have worked. Decked out in greys with a copper bar downstairs, dark wood paneling, a winetasting mezzanine level and lounge seating areas out back and on the first floor, the subdued décor allows the bar’s main focus to take pride of place — the wine. And here it’s all about getting your tipple by the glass. Thanks to two wine-vending machines there are more than 30 options to choose from. As man at the helm Francois Carteau explains, the main concept is to educate people about wine. “It’s about getting
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people to discover wines in a fun way. So we give our customers the opportunity to taste a large selection of wines by the glass.” Take the Saint Hallett Gamekeeper’s Reserve, one of the best mid-range shirazes to come out of Australia, the moreish Vynfields Reserve Pinot Noir from New Zealand, a Spanish Gewürztraminer varietal and more than 10 options on French reds and whites; if you didn’t know anything about the body, the taste, the varietal and the bouquet of these wines, the menu is laid out in such a way that you have a chance to find out. It makes everything accessible, even to the complete novice. The whole world is catered for here, too. All making Wine Embassy a great destination to do some oenological globetrotting, without the necessity of passing border control or applying for visas.
Two’s Company To add to the concept, the wine is foodmatched with anything from beef and
chicken skewers to duck terrines, salmon carpaccios and a chicken breast stuffed with shredded apples and herbs. According to Francois, he works on the wine selection first and after that builds the menu. “We do it the other way round,” he explains. “It’s always a constant challenge for the kitchen because they have to keep up with the new wines we bring in, and have to adapt a bit.” Prices are reasonable, too, with the tapas-like cuisine costing mainly under VND100,000 a plate, while the wine by the glass generally hits the mid-hundreds for a 9cl pour, making the offerings here accessible to more than only those with diplomatic immunity. — Nick Ross Wine Embassy runs a daily two-for-one happy hour from 4pm to 7pm. They also have themed wine-tasting nights including a premium wine sampling night on Thursdays. Wine courses will be added to the mix in the near future. Wine Embassy is at 13 Ngo Duc Ke, Q1. For further information go to wineembassy.com.vn