PODO Wine Outlet – Sri Hartamas
Words: Matt Brown
Photos: Monica Tindall
Wine lovers of KL – rejoice! PODO Wine Outlet, recently opened in Galeria Hartamas, elevates the options, flavours, origins and knowledge of the Malaysian wine scene effortlessly. Meaning ‘grape’ in Korean, this elegant yet accessible store has been built bottle by bottle using the 15+ years of experience in the wine industry that owner Soo Choi brings. Soo and her sister Eve – no stranger to the local F&B scene with her Bangsar cafe – took note of the uptick in wine consumption in their native Seoul and decided to combine their passion with an opportunity to advance their favourite vintners in KL.
PODO is all about the stories behind the bottles, and the staff led by Soo are friendly, knowledgeable and determined to ensure that every customer finds their match. There are currently 600 labels available, both in-store and online or via Grab, with delivery options available. Of this impressive range, 17 kinds of wine are currently exclusive to PODO, with that number increasing to more than 30 at the end of June.
PODO Wine Outlet – Sri Hartamas
Soo’s extensive background with wine in Korea has earned her the highly respected WSET Certificate 3, meaning that her expertise in the areas of grape growing, wine cultivation and the serving of different wines is expert-level. She has sampled 99% of the bottles in the store, so customers can be assured that everything for sale comes with a highly passionate tick of approval. Joining Soo on the shop floor is Yoga, who also has 8 years of wine experience, predominantly at Booze-It here in Malaysia and who is accredited with the WSET 2 certificate.
Spanish Whites
We were lucky to sit in the lovely tasting room that the sisters specifically designed to offer people more of an encompassing experience when they visit PODO. Beneath a sparkly chandelier and looking through a lovely archway to the effectively minimalist displays in the store, we were poured a glass of Casa Rojo El Gordo del Circo (RM129.90 bottle). Once I stopped playing with the entertaining label – the clouds disappear when in contact with warm hands – I could focus on this delicious and easy-to-drink Verdejo.
Verdejo has really only returned to the wine scene in the last 15 years, having been treated as a rather obscure Spanish variety of white wine. The grapes are harvested at night and into the early morning so that their temperature remains cool, and after a maceration period of two to three days, only the first pressed juice is used in the production of the wine. The flavours are citrus and white fruit with aromas of cut grass, hay, fennel and anise. I prefer to drink white wines if that’s the option, and this one just moved to the very top of my preferred list. PODO also offers the Casa Rojo La Gabacha (RM99.90 bottle), which is a sauvignon blanc ideal for pairing with seafood dishes (and helpfully labelled with a lobster), as well as The Marimorena (RM139.90 bottle), an Albarino also made to match a fresh day’s catch.
Spanish Reds
Moving into the Red territory from the same producers, Casa Rojo Machoman (RM169.90 bottle) is a vegan Monastrell that is incredibly dry and packs a powerful fruity flavour. Although I’m not a great red connoisseur, I would own this just for the label on the bottle, as well as the Tinta Fina (RM169.90), a Tempranillo harvested from vineyards aged between 35-100 years and then aged in French oak barrels for 14 months.
From the Toro region of Spain, PODO brings to Malaysia for the first time Bodega Matsu. With a focus on minimal intervention and sustainable practices, the four wines come in beautiful bottles thoughtfully adorned with striking pictures of actual workers from their centuries-old winery, separated by age. The Matsu El Picaro (RM99.90 for a 750ml bottle, RM219.90 for 1500ml) is a Tempranillo defined by its sweet character and intensity. Matsu El Recio (RM149.90 for a 750ml bottle; 299.90 for 1500ml) is a balanced and acidic Tempranillo that has been aged for 14 months in French oak barrels.
The Matsu El Viejo (RM229.90 for a 750ml bottle; RM459.90 for 1500ml) is a 16-month-aged Tempranillo with a complex and full palate. Coming soon and highly anticipated by Soo and the staff at PODO is the Matsu Le Jefa, a silky white wine that has proven to be so popular and elusive that PODO will be receiving only a small number of the bottles.
Reasons to visit PODO Wine Outlet: considering the respect and knowledge that exist in this space for the wines on offer, it’s so refreshing to not feel intimidated and instead want to learn as much as you can. Soo and her team have curated a space that venerates and stands behind every bottle they offer, with eyes in the near future to supplying restaurants and bars around KL so that even more of us can become aficionados of what they so passionately believe in. It’s a fun, easy and inspired experience, so pay PODO a visit if you can – there really is something for everyone to enjoy. Geonbae!
PODO Wine Outlet
B-G-03A Galeria Hartamas, Jalan 26/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
+60 10 467 8809
podowineoutlet.com
PODO Wine Outlet Opening Hours
Monday-Saturday 12pm-8:30pm
Closed Sunday
Find more on the wine scene in Kuala Lumpur here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene here and here.