By Phyllis Pan
The year-end holiday season always gets to me. It’s the busiest time of the year, from finding the perfect presents, planning gatherings, and preparing big meals. When the invitation to Straits Wine Company’s Art and Wine event came through, I was very thankful. It felt like a rare chance to get away for a night.
To be frank, I have never really drunk wine in a wine-focused place like Straits Wine Company before. Most often, I will have them at gatherings or parties. The idea of drinking wine in a wine space does feel intimidating. I used to assume you needed to be a knowledgeable drinker just to feel like you could fit in. For me, I only know what I enjoy drinking, and I trust my own tastebuds – but beyond that, I’ve never felt like I really know much about wine. I was curious but also unsure if I would fit into the experience. As it turned out, it was unexpectedly enjoyable, relaxed, and unpretentious.
We visited the UE Square branch, and my first impression of the space was the wide selection of wines on display, along with a temperature-controlled wine cellar sitting right within the store. It features a long communal table, alongside a few smaller tables that are well suited for more intimate gatherings. We settled at the long communal table, which I found ideal for relaxed conversations, especially in a larger group.
The evening began with an introduction to the wines curated for the session, with the freedom to choose from five bottles throughout the night. From a past work stint, I had learned that wines are typically enjoyed in a progression starting with sweeter or sparkling styles, before moving into lighter reds and finishing with fuller-bodied ones.
With that in mind, I began with a sweet sparkling wine, Pasqua Wines Sweet White Frizzante, which felt like the perfect welcome wine for an art-focused evening.
As we sipped our first glasses, the new co-owners gave a short welcome speech. They spoke about bringing art into wine drinking and rethinking how wine can be experienced, while continuing to create evenings like this.
They also shared that future sessions will involve working with different local artists and art partners, so each Art and Wine evening feels a little different. This isn’t meant to be a one-off event, but something people can come back to with friends.
We were handed the art materials for decorating the cookies and macarons before we moved on to the Pasqua Sweet Rosé – Vino Frizzante Dolce, easy-drinking and relaxed. This was followed by the reds — the 360° Loire Cabernet Franc (2021), then a Château Victoria – Cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc (2021), and finally Fattoria di Uggiano Prestige Chianti Classico.
Throughout the night, as we sipped our wines, we were also served cheese and ham platters to go with our drinks. We decorated our own Christmas cookies and macarons along the way. As the alcohol slowly kicked in, people loosened up and conversations became more natural. We chatted casually with those around the table, and the atmosphere stayed light and comfortable.
I drank at my own pace, tried different wines along the way, and enjoyed the evening without any pressure. Wine didn’t feel like something exclusive, it was just there to be enjoyed and shared.
It’s the kind of place I’d return to for a casual night out with my group of girlies. No rush, no stress, just talking late into the night, letting our hair down, and enjoying the time together.
Straits Wine Company – UE Square is located at 81 Clemenceau Avenue, #01-15/16, UE Square Shopping Mall, Singapore 239917.