Cover Unwined is located in APW Bangsar (Photo: Unwined)
Unwined is located in APW Bangsar (Photo: Unwined)
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The founder of Unwined, Unwined Plus, and Unwined Cabana speaks to us about his success and KL’s growing wine scene
Like many young wine drinkers, natural wine was the catalyst that piqued Hsiao Tung Wei’s interest. “They were funky, weird, and acidic, which was similar to what I was drinking before—cocktails, cider, and craft beer,” the founder of wine bar Unwined smiles. “However, over the past four years, my palate has changed tremendously as I have explored what good wine really is.”
This experience is not dissimilar to many other new wine drinkers. French and Italian restaurants with long wine lists of unfamiliar terms can seem unapproachable compared to wine bars boasting bottles of natural wine donned with eccentric and eye-catching labels.
Read more: Inside 5 tastefully designed restaurants at Bamboo Hills
Above Hsiao Tung Wei, founder of Unwined
Above An interior shot of Unwined Cabana
Hsiao Tung Wei, founder of Unwined
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A common way to explain this journey is realising that not all natural wines are good, and not all good wines are natural. In fact, Hsiao tells me the word now poses a problem: “Natural wine, which is just made traditionally, has existed before the word even started being used,” he says. “Winemakers dislike the term natural, as it is overused by sellers and producers, and means that beautiful cult Burgundies are now lumped together with funky, unfiltered wines.”
Above Orange wine, a popular choice from patrons
Above Guests enjoying their glasses of wine at Unwined Plus
Orange wine, a popular choice from patrons
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At wine bars Unwined, Unwined Plus, and Unwined Cabana, Hsiao hopes to educate people about these nuances. “When you start drinking, you learn what is good, and that is an important journey in the wine drinking experience,” he says. “These physical outlets are a means of communication with our customers.”
Above A poster inside Unwined
Above Scenes from Unwined
A poster inside Unwined
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While Hsiao is now one of the most respected individuals in our local wine industry, a foray into F&B, let alone wines, was never on the cards. After going to university in Japan, he began working in his family cookware business, Buffalo but soon longed for a creative outlet. “I really enjoyed exploring the dining scene with friends when abroad, and with Buffalo specialising in crockery, I had the idea to open a restaurant to support the brand.”
While now housing another of his initiatives, Roost, the same shop lot along Jalan Telawi 3 was the original location of F by Buffalo Kitchens. However, four years after opening, the company decided to shut down the restaurant since it was not performing as well as hoped, to Hsiao’s dismay. “I just couldn’t leave it, as I met all my friends there,” he recalls. As such, he decided to buy it over from the family business with a friend in 2014, rebranding to Roost, which has just celebrated its 10-year anniversary.
Above Sunawi stands for Super Natural Wines
Above Sunawi wines
Sunawi stands for Super Natural Wines
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Hsiao’s journey into wine began nearly seven years later with the purchase of a vineyard during the pandemic. “My family has close ties to Italy, and a childhood friend of mine living there proposed the opportunity to acquire a small vineyard on a 2-hectare piece of land together,” he smiles.
This is how Sunawi, which stands for Super Natural Wines, was born, making natural and artisanal wine. At the same time, he began drinking more, realising there was a lack of such labels in Malaysia, deciding to take the opportunity to set up a bottleshop at the newly renovated APW.
Above Dumplings at Unwined Plus
Above Crispy pot of rice at Unwined Plus
Dumplings at Unwined Plus
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“While we were renovating, Unwined kicked off as an online seller in my very own living room, where we would box bundles of wine sets,” he chuckles. In January 2022, Unwined officially opened and proved more than successful: “Restrictions were easing, the outdoor space was ideal, and while we started as a bottleshop, we soon became a full-fledged wine bar.”
Hsiao’s first love was for food, and when the opportunity arose to take over the space that was dessert shop Dew by Jaslyn Cakes in 2023, he jumped at the chance. “Everything fell into place with the right chef and manager, and we were able to begin operations in less than a month,” he says. On the menu at Unwined Plus is Asian-inspired small dishes, influenced by some of Hsiao’s favourite eateries abroad. “Natural wine works well with spice, especially Szechuan and chilli components,” he adds.
Above Grilled prawns at Unwined Plus
Above Stuffed chicken wings at Unwined Plus
Grilled prawns at Unwined Plus
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At the start of 2024, Unwined began importing its own wines, now currently bringing in almost 20,000 bottles a year to supply to both its outlets and other bars. “We import from over 30 producers, from Spain, Italy, Australia, Georgia, and France,” he says. The company even has a designated team member in Italy, removing the language barrier and time difference between winemakers.
At the same time, they maintain support for fellow importers and tradesmen, making Unwined, Unwined Plus, and Unwined Cabana (the latest venture at Else Hotel in collaboration with DC Selections), one-stop solutions for all labels.
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Above A selection of wines used as decoration in Unwined
Above Inside Unwined Cabana
A selection of wines used as decoration in Unwined
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“In January 2022, Unwined was the only natural wine bar, and now there are over ten just in the Klang Valley,” Hsiao enthuses, a testimony to the mark Unwined has made on KL’s wine scene. “We just hope to bring in even more wines, for locals to drink more and learn about what winemakers have to offer.”
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Credits
Images: Unwined
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About
Katelyn is the dining and travel editor of Malaysia and Indonesia. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she offers readers an inside look at the movers and shakers in Asia’s growing food and beverage industry.
