Bali’s Emerging Wine Culture

Like many holiday destinations in this era of remote working, Bali has seen significant growth driven by tourism and this new wave of nomadic workers. Talking to friends and family who recall visiting in the 80s to now, seeing the once remote (and even maybe hidden?) oasis grow into one of the top holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. Ease of access and 1-year visas available for those employed by non-Indonesian companies sounds like a perfect recipe for those looking for a work-cation.

Considering the aforementioned development of Bali over the past few years, it will be interesting to see how this affects everything from the cost of living for locals. Watch this space.

Discovering Bali's Wine Culture

From the moment I first visited in 2015, the island's beauty felt almost overwhelming, with terraced rice fields carved into the hillsides, volcanic peaks etched against the horizon, and the constant scent of incense from temple offerings drifting through the air. I had come expecting beaches, ceremonies, and perhaps a little surfing, but what I didn't expect to find was wine. And not just imported wine, Bali is home to its own emerging wine culture, something I quickly realised was worth exploring.

My first encounter came in Ubud, the island's artistic and spiritual hub. I'd wandered into a restaurant after a day of temple-hopping, and on the menu, alongside traditional dishes like babi guling and nasi campur, was a rosé from Sababay Winery, one of Bali's pioneering producers. I couldn't resist ordering a glass, curious about how wine could be made in the tropics. What arrived was light, refreshing, and ideally suited to the warm evening.

Made from Alphonse Lavallée grapes grown in Bali's volcanic soil at an elevation of 400m, the wine showcases the island's unique terroir, mineral notes from the volcanic ash, combined with tropical fruit flavours that only emerge in this equatorial climate. It wasn't a grand cru from France or a bold Australian shiraz, something entirely its own, a product of this island's climate, soil, and ingenuity.

I also recall sitting at a steak restaurant in Bali recently, accompanied by a menu with a wide array of wines. Given my line of work, it's always worth a peruse.

The Challenge of Wine in Indonesia

As I learned more, I came to understand why Bali's winemakers have been so determined to succeed. Indonesia's import laws make foreign wine extremely expensive, with taxes and duties often doubling or tripling the shelf price (according to Indonesia's Ministry of Finance tariff schedule, wine imports face a 150% excise tax plus 20% import duty). On top of that, alcohol distribution is tightly regulated, and in a predominantly Muslim country, there are restrictions on where and how it can be sold.

In many parts of Indonesia, wine is scarce, available only in hotels or tourist areas. Bali, with its international visitors and more relaxed attitudes, has become the exception.

These restrictions have created both a challenge and an opportunity. For travellers, imported bottles of Bordeaux or Napa cabernet can feel like luxuries reserved for fine dining restaurants. But for local producers, the high barriers to imports have left a gap in the market that Balinese vineyards are eager to fill. Wineries like Hatten Wines, Plaga Winery, and Two Islands Wine are leading this charge. Domestic wines have stepped into that space, offering something accessible, homegrown, and increasingly embraced by both tourists and locals.

Wine and Island Life

What makes wine in Bali especially fascinating is its seamless integration into everyday life. On the beaches of Seminyak, I saw travellers clinking glasses of chilled rosé as the sun melted into the ocean. In Ubud, I dined on satay skewers paired with a Balinese white that softened the spice. And in Canggu, between surf breaks and smoothie bowls, wine has found its place on the tables of buzzing cafés.

Unlike Europe, where wine often carries centuries of prestige and formality, here it feels relaxed, social, and unpretentious. A bottle of sparkling shared at a wedding, or a casual glass poured by the pool, is less about labels and more about connection.

For me, the highlight was not just tasting the wines but experiencing the settings in which they're enjoyed. A rosé at sunset on a Uluwatu clifftop, waves crashing below. A bold red shared under the stars in Seminyak. A sparkling wine was sipped in a jungle-fringed villa while cicadas sang into the night. Each glass felt tied to the island itself, inseparable from the moment and the place.

Bali's wine industry may still be young, but like the island, it pulses with energy and creativity. The industry has grown from just 2-3 producers in 2010 to over 15 vineyards today, with annual production reaching approximately 50,000 bottles across the island.

Travelling here reminded me that discovery isn't always about the famous sights or the ancient traditions, sometimes it's about the unexpected. Just as Bali reinvents itself for every visitor, its wines are quietly rewriting what it means to produce and enjoy wine in a tropical nation.

When I look back on my time in Bali, I think not only of the temples and rice terraces, but also of that first glass of rosé from Sababay in Ubud. It wasn't just a drink; it was an introduction to a new way of seeing the island, through its vineyards, its winemakers, and the culture that is slowly but surely making its mark on the world of wine.