The extensive wine cellar at Smith & Wollensky Kuala Lumpur boasts over 10,000 bottles from 1,200 different labels (Photo: Smith & Wollensky)
Any restaurant can stock a Chardonnay or two, but what makes a list go from serviceable to spectacular? Find out what the sommeliers and industry experts behind Kuala Lumpur’s most comprehensive wine programmes have to say about their curation, recommendation and pairing philosophies.
The famous New York steakhouse’s local outpost boasts a formidable fleet of 10,000 bottles featuring 1,200 different labels, fittingly named the Prime Collective. This knockout list, curated by Advanced Sommelier Bikram Gautam, is so extensive it defies paper menus — instead, the collection is viewable via a tablet, where searches can be refined by varietal, region and year. The roster also includes a number of large-format bottles, plus a generous selection of saké for those who prefer grains to grapes.
Naturally, the cellar is not without a substantial portion of Americana. “Historical icons such as Château Montelena and small family-owned producers like Aleksander are part of our exclusive offerings,” says Gautam. The latter comes from the vineyard of former Slovenian basketball star Aleksander “Sasha” Vujačić and his father Goran Bjeković.
“We also house a number of California cult wines — Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate and others — alongside all the classified growths from Bordeaux, top Burgundies, the great wines of Italy, and even unique regions such as Tenerife. Our goal is to represent every major style and category so we can accommodate the broad preferences of our guests.”
The adventurous oenophile can find rarer labels from family-owned producers, small wineries and niche grapes. “For guests who aren’t as familiar, I offer a few tasting samples to help them choose what they enjoy most. At the end of the day, the most important thing is simple: the guest should enjoy the wine,” says the seasoned sommelier.
Dining solo or saddled with an indecisive party? S&W has a mind-boggling 77 by-the-glass options, guaranteeing a highly customisable pairing experience for any palate.
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Speaking of which, the restaurant is renowned for some incredibly recognisable dishes. His go-to recommendations? Enjoy the Shellfish Tower with Château Montelena Chardonnay — “the rounded texture, subtle spice and bright, crisp acidity complement the seafood and sauces beautifully”.
For the Swinging Tomahawk, he suggests Aleksander Reserve 2016: “This Merlot-dominant wine from Paso Robles, California, is rich, complex and elegantly structured — a perfect match for the meat’s depth and succulence.”
Last but not least, the Gigantic Chocolate Cake calls for a 20-year-old Tawny Port. “It’s a timeless, classic pairing where the port’s nutty sweetness and silky texture harmonise seamlessly with the dessert’s decadence.”
Where does a cellar of this calibre go from here? Only bigger, Gautam suggests. “Looking ahead, we plan to expand our offerings with even more wines from small, artisanal producers and historical winemaking regions, further strengthening the diversity and depth of our list.”
Lot LC G02-G05, & Lot LC 102-104, Suria KLCC.
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The letters “DC” carry quite a bit of cachet in KL’s culinary scene, not least because earlier this year wine purveyor DC Selections and Michelin-starred DC Restaurant formed a powerful partnership. The former’s physical branch, D’s Wine Bar, moved from Damansara Kim to Taman Tun Dr Ismail in March, occupying the dining establishment’s ground floor while still championing Burgundies and artisan champagnes.
Founder Dave Chan and his partner, manager and sommelier Happy Gan, have tailored an expansive queue of 1,000 labels from more than 100 producers, designed to faithfully translate the efforts and intentions of the farmers.
“We view ourselves as the essential bridge between the winemaker and drinker, and that means we have a deep obligation to carry the producer’s message to the glass. It is a celebration of the immense work found in the farming process,” notes Gan.
Many of the locale’s bottles are exclusive to it — the result of years of building relationships with producers, according to the duo. “We are particularly proud of our Burgundy selection, featuring rare allocations from Paul Pillot, Guilbert Gillet and Guffens-Heynen, to name a few,” says the sommelier.
Lovers of sparkle will be treated to many grower masterpieces from the likes of Cédric Bouchard, Emmanuel Brochet and La Closerie that are hard to find even within Europe. “From Italy, names such as Bruno Giacosa and Stella di Campalto represent the pinnacle of our cellar. Every bottle is unique because it represents a direct link to the farmer’s craft.”
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Of course, a liquid is only as good as its vessel, and D’s is not one to settle for subpar stemware. Handcrafted, mouth-blown Sydonios crystal glasses are the chic chalices of choice here, light as a feather and frighteningly delicate for the most immersive revelation of oenological profiles.
The subject of glasses gets even more serious when discussing bubbly. “While flutes are beautiful for watching the bubbles dance and coupes have that vintage charm, they aren’t the best for actually tasting the wine. A coupe is too wide, letting the aromas escape, and a flute is too narrow to truly ‘nose’ the wine,” advises Gan. While tulips are considered an appropriate middle ground, she favours a standard white wine or even Burgundy glass for the grower champagnes at D’s. “Our wines are complex and vinous; they need room to breathe and express their terroir. These glasses will allow a wider aromatic spectrum and better layers of flavours to show.”
Education above all has been the long-serving mission of the folks at DC Selections, and the couple believes that confidence is the greatest lesson they hope to impart in wine newcomers: “It’s important not to be intimidated. We encourage people to trust their own palates. Beyond just identifying flavours, we teach them to ‘feel’ the wine, understanding its structure and the emotions it evokes.”
44, Persiaran Zaaba, TTDI.
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Natural wines may have been one of the fastest-growing F&B trends to hit Malaysia in recent years — “What started as just one bar and one importer in 2021 quickly grew to approximately 10 bars and six importers in a matter of two years,” shares Hsiao Tung-Wei, one of the country’s leading authorities on the category and founder of that inaugural entrant, Unwined KL. Even before setting up his Bangsar bottle shop, Hsiao has been producing his own labels as part of Italian winery Sunawi. His local restaurant ventures include sister outlet Unwined Plus, Roost, and the newly launched Tangram.
Unwined KL is an easy-going neighbourhood favourite tucked within APW, but the selection here hovers around a very substantial 500 labels, with a few exclusive treasures. One of them is the Drink Wine Not Labels Orange, from the personal project of legacy winemaker Alessandro Salvano in Langhe, Italy. “It’s an experimental wine with only 106 bottles made, and we are very lucky to have 24 of them,” reveals Hsiao.
“Our curation philosophy starts all the way in the vineyard, picking the wineries we would most like to work with and who we share a similar philosophy to. I believe a personal connection is important to dictate what we eventually offer to our guests. Most of what we bring in and sell have been slowly curated through our visits to Europe and the relationships we have developed.”
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As opposed to the original outlet’s volume-focused, the-more-the-merrier system, Unwined Plus boasts a streamlined catalogue that works around the current menu in order to create a seamless dining experience. After three years, the restaurant has just rolled over to its 2.0 menu, which pays homage to Hsiao and team’s Chinese roots by interpreting the food culture from different regions of China. “As the flavours are fairly robust, we wanted to pair them with wines that are lighter in body, refreshing, floral and some even with a touch of residual sugar to balance the spices,” he says.
Loyal followers of Sunawi’s works should look forward to the new vintages, which Hsiao informs us are worlds apart from what they started out with six years ago. “Some may not even recognise the wines. We were really raw natty wine drinkers who wanted our creations to be as wild as possible with zero control. As our taste grows, the stuff we make has started to mature a little as well. I think we are in a sweet spot now; still without any additives [while] bridging the gap between wild child and polished adult.”
Something exciting is brewing (or fermenting, rather) behind the scenes too. “We were offered the privilege to make our own blend with Foradori, one of the most iconic Italian artisan wineries. These opportunities rarely happen, and these babies will be arriving [in the third quarter of] this year, so do keep an eye out for them!”
B-01, 29, Jalan Riong, APW Bangsar.
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When it comes to old reliables, it is impossible to go wrong with Vintry Damansara. Founded by veteran restaurateur and Master of Wine candidate Wong Yin-How, this flagship has maintained a very respectable reputation as one of the capital’s most well-established wine bars. Wong has spent decades crafting unique wine lists across his many restaurant ventures, which include Proof Pizza, Restaurant Jie and the soon-to-reopen Mazi Greek Taverna under his group Tinkermen Collective. But for a streamlined drinking experience, you will find the complete range by bottle at the pioneer outlet.
Nearly all the wines are exclusively imported and sold in Malaysia, and comprise a truly impressive array of renowned international names — think Domaine J L Chave from France, Tenuta delle Terre Nere from Italy, Artadi from Spain, Mount Mary from Australia, Sadie Family Wines from South Africa as well as Blank Canvas from New Zealand.
Having curated robust programmes across each of his locations, the expert shares that origin plays a huge part in his approach, as every bottle must come from benchmark producers in its region, while also speaking vividly to a sense of place. Freshness, purity and ageability are also vital, as Wong prioritises wineries capable of delivering quality at each price point.
“Another cornerstone of my philosophy is that I take equal pleasure in working with up-and-coming wineries and small boutique producers,” he shares. “I have an intrinsic sense of adventure and curiosity to seek out the newest emerging stars. My family is used to traipsing across regions as I discover new wines and producers, and I am grateful that they are such game and happy wanderers with me.”
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For something you will not find elsewhere, Vintry stocks full ranges of the highly coveted Château Rayas and Champagne Agrapart. “I am also very happy to carry the most complete high-quality range of Italian wines, which is an area of great interest for me personally. Barolo producers such as Massolino and Burlotto; and Brunello producers such as Il Marronetto, Le Chiuse, Salvioni
and Le Potazzine, represent the pinnacle of quality wines from these famous Italian regions,” affirms Wong. As the Damansara outpost celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, the owner assures there will be plenty of upcoming events to commemorate this seminal milestone.
Outside Malaysia, the globe-trotting gourmand effortlessly rattles off his top wine spots: “Le Soufflot and La Dilettante in Burgundy, Cantine Isola in Milan, as well as Noble Rot in London.” Japan takes up a big part of his ranking, namely Élevé wine bar and recently awarded three Michelin-starred Myojaku in Tokyo, and Kanazawa’s Shókudō Yarn. 67 Pall Mall club in Singapore, of which Wong is a member, is his training ground for the Master of Wine exams for its famous and eclectic line-up.
130, Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara.
This article first appeared on May 11, 2026 in The Edge Malaysia.
