The island paradise offering a tropical twist on wine
By using wine sourced from Bali’s volcanic vineyards and local fruits and botanicals, Baliwein puts a distinctly Indonesian spin on its red wines.
The majority of the textbooks and guides to wine will introduce you to a band, running between 30 and 50º latitude in each hemisphere, that contains most of the world’s wine production. Even the handful of wine-producing regions outside that area tend to sit pretty close by.
The Indonesian island of Bali, sitting between the eighth and ninth parallels south, is certainly not within that zone, but that has not dissuaded its winemakers. Indeed, for producers like Baliwein, the challenge is also an opportunity.
Its range of wines are unapologetically Indonesian. Making use of the island’s volcanic sites, local produce and rich culture, they blend classic winemaking with a unique Indonesian character. Nowhere is that more evident than in its Semara and Sekala red wines.
Fresh from Bali
The secret to the wines lies in Bali’s tropical climate. The combination of warm conditions and Indonesia’s intense sunlight dramatically changes the profile of the grapes, which carries through to the final product.
Thus, even though Baliwein uses the international grapes Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, the expression is distinctly local. They achieve bold fruit character, warming spice notes and smooth, ripe tannins.
The profile is opulent, full of spice, dark plum notes and ripe fruits of the forest. Rich, vibrant and slightly exotic, the wines have been developed to be expressive and fun, without losing their particular Indonesian character.
Thanks to the abundance of fruit flavours and the ripe, full structure, the wines are versatile performers. Baliwein recommends them for relaxed evenings or indulgent dinners, whether alone or in company. One of its recent campaigns, titled ‘Pair Your Mood – Baliwein for Every Craving, for Every Occasion’, specifically highlighted the wealth of moments that Baliwein can enhance.
In other wines in the range, Baliwein goes even further with its local flavour. Several of its products blend in locally grown fruits and botanicals, melding the flavours of Bali with the influence of traditional winemaking. The range goes to show that sitting outside of the expected can yield tempting results.
Authentically Indonesian
The pair of wines – Semara and Sekala – are particularly rooted in Indonesia, not just in their production but also in their naming. The island of Bali has a remarkable heritage, particularly in its unique culture of Balinese Hinduism, and the wines pay homage to that history.
Semara is a goddess of Balinese Hinduism, associated with love, beauty and passion. Her namesake wine mirrors her in its warmth and vibrant character. It uses Shiraz, a grape variety known for its spicy nuances, to capture the goddess’ passionate character.
Sekala, on the other hand, is a philosophical concept in the religion. It represents the visible, tangible world, in contrast to the invisible world of spirits and chaos (niskala). For the wine, itself a celebration of tangible sensory pleasure, the winemakers at Baliwein chose Cabernet Sauvignon. With its depth and defined structure, it echoes the grounded and powerful nature of the physical world.
Together, the wines do what all great drinks seek to achieve: they tell a story of their origin. Through its combination of Balinese production and respect for local traditions, Baliwein is demonstrating that great wine need not be confined to a single region: often, the most pleasurable experiences will come from the most surprising sources.
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