Cult Insider

Across Asia, a quiet revolution is underway: natural wine, once confined to Europe’s avant-garde cellars, is making its mark from Tokyo to Singapore. Sommeliers, importers, and younger collectors are driving the shift, drawn to low-intervention bottles that offer authenticity, individuality, and stories that resonate beyond critic scores and château prestige. With names like Overnoy, Radikon, and Cornelissen now appearing on wine lists and in private collections, natural wine is no longer a passing trend; it’s a statement of taste and cultural identity.

This movement is beginning to reshape global definitions of “fine wine.” As Asia’s appetite for Jura, Etna, and Sicilian producers grows, the ripple effects are felt in pricing, auctions, and even the strategies of importers worldwide. Still polarising but increasingly influential, natural wine is redefining what it means to collect, invest, and drink in the modern era.

Beyond its temples, surf breaks, and booming remote work scene, Bali holds a surprise for curious travellers: a growing wine culture born from volcanic soil and tropical ingenuity. Pioneering producers like Sababay, Hatten, and Two Islands are crafting wines that reflect the island’s unique climate and energy, offering visitors something entirely different from Bordeaux or Burgundy. With import taxes driving up the cost of foreign bottles, these local wines have become not only accessible but also deeply woven into Bali’s lifestyle, from beachfront sunsets to jungle villas.

Wine here is less about prestige and more about connection, glasses shared at weddings, beach cafés, or late-night dinners in Ubud. Bali’s vineyards may still be young, but their rapid growth signals a creative industry on the rise, one that adds another layer to the island’s ever-evolving story.