Cold Storage’s 2012 International Wine Fair is back. Held at the Great Eastern Mall, Jalan Ampang from 12 to 22 April, the pickings look promising with Taylors and Terrazas de los Andes featured on the promotional poster, but lets be realistic if the previous promotion at Solaris Mont Kiara is anything to go by. Go check it out by all means. Do look out for the terrific value Icewines!

Updates: I’ll be damned. Icewine is off the table this time. Followers of cult Kiwi brand Cloudy Bay would be thrilled however that its Sauvy is now available at only 99.90MYR.

Despite the presence of a handful of reputable brands, the whole affair very much came off as a disappointment, to me. Sub-par event management aside, I don’t really see the point of flooding the stage with industrial plonk and forgoing the opportunity strengthening the brand value of worthier labels in the portfolio of participating distributors. This product-driven approach might backfire as opposed to enhancing the public’s appreciation of wine—better wine that is. Shoddy wine to which newcomers are sold could yet leave a bad taste in their mouths. Less than savory impression that lingers might just keep them from trying again for good.

The way up is to educate the folk in earnest. The organizers could use a better/professionally-run wine fare to engage an untapped market into wines through positive emotional experience and enjoyment of all. Good experience and exposure may well be the spark which generates customer affinity. Slashing the price of lowly calibre wine ain’t gonna take it to the next level.