A SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS WEBSITE
by Melissa Lwee-Ramsay
Singapore, 17 March, 2012 Quinze Bouteilles The unassuming Stanley Street is starting to come out of its shell, thanks to the influx of new lifestyle operators - restaurants Keystone and PepeNero and bag boutique Bag Masterpiece - that have opened their doors over the past year. As of January this year, they were joined by Quinze Bouteilles - a wine boutique that is cozy enough to double as a wine bar. "The idea was to bring a part of Southern France to Singapore," explains Danish-born Charlotte Christensen, 43, who runs the place with the help of several other investors. "We chose to open in a shophouse because it helps us to recreate a homely atmosphere where people can come and enjoy some French wine and simple nibbles such as home-made pate, cold cuts and cheeses. We want them to feel like they're sitting in a country home, not a shopping mall." The name Quinze Bouteilles, she says, means 15 bottles in French because the shop started out with, and currently stocks, the wines of 15 winemakers predominantly from the Southern France areas of the Rhone, Languedoc and Chateauneuf du Pape wine regions. "Of course we may one day go beyond 15 winemakers but the name is meant to reflect the idea that we only keep a limited range of high quality wines that have been handpicked by us," reveals Ms Christensen. "My husband and I own a property in Southern France and we go there twice a year so these are winemakers that we consider our neighbours and whom we know personally." Already, Ms Christensen is looking ahead with plans to franchise the business in other Asian cities. There are also more long-term plans to distribute the wines throughout the rest of the region as Quinze Bouteilles holds the exclusive distribution rights for Asia for the wines that it stocks. But for the moment, the wine-lover is focusing on building a name for the shop in Singapore and enjoying this opportunity to turn her hobby into a viable business. "We are about to launch a new concept in May where we turn the venue into a private restaurant for groups of people who want the place to themselves with special menus created by some of our restaurant neighbours, and we're really excited about that," she concludes, revealing that the service may not even require a minimum spend. "At the end of the day this is a passion project for us. We simply love these wines and we just want to share that love with the rest of Singapore. As long as people come in, and get to know us and our wines, the satisfaction is well worth the effort." Quinze Bouteilles
6 Stanley Street
6 Stanley Street
Singapore 068725
Tel: 6220-9715
