Plagã

Have you drunk wine today? This is one simple question that has piqued my curiosity of late. I have been in Bali for quite some time and enjoyed many of the decadent delights on offer. Wine comes every so often, though not on a daily basis, and I take it for granted sometimes. Yet I can’t help but wonder, will the habit of drinking wine daily on a tropical island like Bali become the norm in society? The corresponding answer/question is: why not?

There is among a few people the issue of price. In a rich, lush country like Indonesia, wine bottles can seriously make holes in your wallet. Next comes the weather predicament, since the year-round summer could possibly choke you with its sweltering heat before you got to indulge in wetting your whistle. And even if the first issue is no bother (and pigs can fly), the gazillion choices of wines out there may overwhelm your ability to wisely pick and choose.

“People just want to drink, basically,” says Juan Jose Diaz Ibanes, the general manager of Indowines. Backed by an extensive knowledge of the wine industry, the company braces itself to launch these four delectable Plagã wine variants this month, picking up on the rise of a new generation of drinkers – and ushering in a solution to all the aforementioned hurdles. Each grape variety is designed with a simple, fresh taste that shouldn’t cloud the palate when consumed along with international – or local – meals. “And wines do make food taste better,” enthuses Juan, who trusts the hands of the Argentinean winemaker to develop the flavours.