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Anybody who’s been to Jakarta knows that enjoying a glass of wine is not a common pastime here. But that is starting to change as an increasing number shops specializing in wine are opening to cater to the growing demand.

Among them is Red Line, which is usually packed with the capital’s young executives looking for a nice bottle.

Located in the heart of Sudirman central business district, Red Line has become popular with Jakarta’s professional set, who tend to drop by at the end of a long day.

After I had a busy day myself, I recently decided to make my first visit to Red Line. It had been some time since my last wine experience, I decided to treat myself.

When I entered the wine bar, the first thing that caught my attention was the friendly and warm atmosphere. While other wine houses tend to be lavish and extravagant, Red Line offers its customers a simple and welcoming ambiance.

Although I’m not an expert on wine, I think drinking wine should be a sacred experience. Enthusiasts have told me that imbibing wine requires you to flush out all of life’s troubles. So I decided to take things slowly. As I was still waiting for a friend to come, I ordered a bottle of sparkling water and even zoned out as I read a few pages of a novel I had brought along.

When my friend finally arrived, we decided to take a closer look at Red Line’s wine racks. Just a few steps from my table, I quickly discovered that the place had an extensive list of wine brands. We were pleasantly surprised to learn the bottles were not particularly expensive, with bottles of wine priced from Rp 300,000 to Rp 600,000 ($33 to $66), making a classy wine experience affordable for many people.

The downside is Red Line doesn’t serve wine by the glass, so unless you can finish a bottle of wine on your own, it would be a good idea not to drink alone.

While the place also has some selections of other liquor, such as vodka and whiskey, wine is its specialty with bottles coming from some of the best wine countries in the world such as Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, France, Italy, the United States and Chile.

One of the recommended wines is Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, a California brand. At Red Line, a 2009 Woodbridge bottle costs Rp 340,000. You can also get a bottle of Australian Rawson’s Retreat Merlot for Rp 320,000. Even more economical, for only Rp 180,000 a bottle, you can order a bottle of Hatten Wines, a Balinese wine that is made of tropical grapes from vineyards in Singaraja.

After I told the waiter I prefer red wines, he suggested the 2009 Cono Sur. This Chilean winery is well-known for its efforts to promote green, sustainable viticulture.

I know oenophiles will probably roll their eyes, but I like to enjoy my red wine chilled, and my friend didn’t seem to mind either. We let the wine get cold in a bucket of ice before we started. When I finally tasted it, I found the red wine’s sweet and sour taste just right, making it a perfect treat for a pleasant evening.

As my friend and I engaged in deep conversation, several customers had come and gone, each taking home a bottle of wine.

The time seemed to go by very quickly at Red Line. As it approached 10 p.m., I decided that it was time to go home. Satisfied that my craving for wine had been quenched, I promised myself that I would come back to Red Line sooner rather than later.

Red Line
SCBD Lot 12, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman
Kav 52-53, Central Jakarta
Tel. 021 515 5981