Hawaii- 5Somewhere O!
We interview Manisha Jham and her team, and she sits with us to explain her work with 5Somewhere, what sets them apart from other wine suppliers in Singapore, what wines she feels are important for the Singaporean public to know, and what the future holds for 5Somewhere.
Tell us a little about 5Somewhere and how this got started.
5Somewhere was born from the idea of introducing unknown but high-quality family vineyards to Singapore as Singapore has been used to mainly commercial wines. We are sommelier-led and each of the wines we represent has to be approved by our in-house sommeliers and has to have depth and complexity. This happened because after trying wines at restaurants, the shareholders felt the selection of wine available to patrons was not of the quality one would expect when juxtaposed to the price patrons are paying. It was this quest for quality wines from boutique wineries, where the real passion of the winemaker shows, that led to the formation and the mission of 5Somewhere.
As a wine supplier, what has your strategy been so far with regards to choosing wines as well as with regards to which regions to choose from? Has it been solely with regards to taste and experience?
We started focused on Tasmanian wines as this was uncharted territory for Singapore and their wines were exciting and of high quality which was something this market would definitely enjoy. As we went along, we realized we needed to diversify our portfolio by finding hidden gems from regions Singaporeans were already interested in. Today, we represent wines that are mostly family-owned and small-batch from Australia, Italy, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand, Spain, and France and continue to seek out wines that can match our offering and fits with our mission.
Our wines are selected by our in-house team who have an understanding for Singaporean palates and appreciation. Our strategic goal is to identify the best wines at every price point.
What are some of the wines that Singaporeans, in your opinion, need to know about and why?
Singapore, as a market has only been used to commercial brands and our mission is to educate them on the wines of lesser-known regions and smaller wineries because there is a depth of flavour and superiority brought about by passion. Smaller wineries pay fuller attention to the wines they make, and the result is something amazing.
Take for example our Terre de Mieru varieties from Puglia; Puglia has generally been perceived as a region with lower quality wines and while this may have been true once, the quality of the winemaking has exponentially improved and using Mieru as an example, the passion that the winemaker has for his wines is unparalleled.
The Stellenbosch varieties from Franschhoek and L’avenir boasts wine made from indigenous grapes from South Africa which brings forth Pinotage, Chenin Blanc and their Methode Cap Classique, the last of which is comparable to and surpasses Champagne.
We also have a variety from Tasmania; The Holm Oak, Delamere and Moores Hill. Tasmania is the farthest east wine growing region in the world and wines from the region aren’t widely available and once exposed to this, it receives high praise. The Pinot Noir, Riesling and the award-winning sparkling wines produced are as good, if not better than some of the classic bubbles.
More on Manisha Jham and its branding can be found in our WHO'S + WHO segment of Cuisine & Wine Jan/Feb 2022. 5Somewhere will be creating a Tribeca Tipple, Artisanal Wine & Spirits Fair, an event taking place on 22 & 23 January at Tribeca Bar & Bistro located in The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Road. For more information, go to: https://asiacuisine.com/main.php/detail/news/10565-A-Tipple-WIth-Tribeca-at-the-Tribeca-Tipple-Artisinal-Wines-Spirits-Fair/
