Sacha Lichine, the winemaker and founder of Whispering Angel, says it’s about time rosé took off in Singapore
Sacha Lichine will tell you it takes a lot of ‘shoe leather’ to build a brand. Gauging by the meteoric success of Whispering Angel by Chateau d’Esclans, the brand he created, Lichine must have worn out his fair share of shoes.
Sixteen years ago, Lichine introduced 130,000 bottles of the first vintage of Chateau d’Esclans, including Whispering Angel, the entry-level superstar, Rock Angel, Les Clans and Garrus, the most expensive rosé to hit the market at €100 (S$140). The four rosés were of similar hues of pink and, yet, of different tastes, textures and flavours.
Unlike most Provencal rosés made in stainless steel, his wines are barrel fermented—except Whispering Angel—and lees-stirred to give them body and a creamy texture, all while preserving the alluring colour.
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Recently part-acquired by the Moet Hennessy group, Lichine won’t share the sales numbers anymore, but we estimate sales to be well above and beyond the 6 million mark recorded in 2007. More so, Whispering Angel is well established as the market leader for the Provence rosés and has contributed, in a large way, to the rosé revolution sweeping the world.
Having washed the world in hues of peach and pink, Lichine’s eyes are now set on Singapore. “I think it’s about to take off here,” he says in a quietly confident tone.
Not that he hasn’t tried to charm the red dot before. Back in 2011, he introduced the wines to Singapore when the market was seduced by powerful Robert Parker-approved reds. Rosé, as he recalls, was “a bit ahead of the game.”
As we take our seats, Lichine, in his signature open-collar blush pink shirt and dark suit with his glasses resting on his head, shares the details of the Chateau d’Esclans sales blitz taking place in real-time. How does it work? The seasoned entrepreneur obliges: “You go out, you shake hands, you make friends, and you sell wine.”
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