BALI is known for many pleasures, and now has an excellent spirit to toast the occasion.
Bali’s reputation as the Island of the gods has been given a further nudge in the right direction with the uncorking of the nectar of the gods.
As the go-to leisure and pleasure island in Southeast Asia, Bali continues to pack in the beer guzzling bon vivants who find the combination of rusticity, charming accommodation and excellent cuisine an easy mix to manage.
Toss in local wines to stir the spirit and the island could have another reason to celebrate.
Sababay winery makes good use of the grapes grown in Ubud, the area on the Island known for its rice paddies, art galleries and innovative cuisine. Everything other than the vats are imported in this venture.
Established in 2010, Sababay makes six types of wine, with the Moscato d’Bali delivering consistent award-winning quality, with its fresh and easy-going manner.
Grapes have been grown on the island for more than five decades with around 100 families tending to around 100 hectares of vineyard. The lack of know how meant the fruit wound up on tables, sold around Rp500 per kg.
Since Sababay’s entry the Farmers in Buleleng get 10 times more for their pick and are fuelling the growth of the two indigenous and six imported varietals. The Moscato and Ludisia wines hav between them won 18 international awards.
These new latitude wines are poised to make a good impression on the local market, which is where they are currently available. Despite winning awards, it hasn’t travelled, something Yohan Handoyo hopes will change soon. Yohan, a respected wine sommelier and part of the enterprise, says the two easy-to-drink Moscato and Ludisia wines account for 65% of the company’s 300,000 bottle annual output.
While the bulk of the 21 million litres of alcohol consumed on the island is beer, Yohan is hopeful that Sababay can start establishing a stronger alternative while helping the farming community and further establishing the island’s reputation for helping you get into the right spirit.
