Ignatius Chan: A Sommelier’s Odyssey

On Singapore’s Orchard Road sits a restaurant with a wine cellar that would make any Burgundy fan weak at the knees. Iggy's — a Michelin-starred modern European restaurant and Comoclub partner, helmed by Ignatius Chan — has amassed a 25,000-bottle cellar of (mostly) Burgundy wines procured directly from the source. This impressive collection has earned Iggy the reputation for being one of Singapore's foremost experts on Burgundy wines.

 

Inside Iggy's, backlit shelves showcase an array of bottles with labels reading like a who's who of pinot noir. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Laurent Ponsot stand proudly alongside Australia's Bass Phillip — winemakers Laurent Ponsot and Phillip Jones are both good friends of his. Interspersed among the bottles are photographs that offer glimpses into Iggy's lifelong love of food and wine. Here, Iggy is captured evaluating the day's catch at a European market. There, Iggy's head is thrown back in laughter, bottles of wine in the foreground.

 

Around the corner, the walk-in cellar transports you to the ancient caves of Burgundy, signalling that you are standing in the presence of the greats. Rows of illustrious bottles — some fetching upwards of ten thousand dollars — wait for their moment to shine, each one a chapter in Iggy's remarkable journey.

The story behind this famed wine collection isn't one of generational wealth, but of deep connections nurtured by a shared passion. In 1989, Iggy spent nine months in France. He started working at luxury hotels, joined harvests in Beaujolais, interned at Michelin-starred restaurants, and most importantly, cultivated friendships that would shape his career.

 

'I was exposed to a totally different level of professionalism among sommeliers,' he reflects; 'The French work hard all week and on weekends, they'll go up to Champagne or Burgundy and arrange tastings with the domains and write notes. They were all very, very serious about their passion.'

 

In Burgundy, Iggy found his spiritual home. Through serendipitous meetings with American sommelier Tony Taylor of New York City's 21 Club and wine writer Josh Reynolds, he was introduced to the region's top producers, including legend Henri Jayer. 'We even started to drink Romanée-Conti wines, which weren't so expensive back then,' Iggy recalls.

 

From there, Iggy met other influential figures in the wine industry, most notably Fred Dame of the Court of Master Sommeliers. 'Fred taught me how to analyse wines methodically,' Iggy says of the time he served them blind; 'It's not about guessing, but about deduction. Rather than think immediately about what it is, think about what it isn't.'

 

Returning to Singapore — a market traditionally dominated by Bordeaux — Iggy initially found few takers for his beloved Burgundies. Then in 2004, he took a leap of faith, opening his eponymous restaurant with a wine list that championed Burgundy. 'People thought I was crazy,' he remembers with a smile. Slowly, and with recommendations from Iggy, guests learned to appreciate this lighter, more fruit and acid-forward style, in contrast to Bordeaux wines' powerful, tannic character.

This dedication to educating and sharing his love for Burgundy has paid off. Today, Iggy's wine pairing dinners sell out quickly. Close winemaker friends fly in to conduct tastings, sometimes blind. Aficionados bring prized bottles from their own collection to share with the group. Iggy's generosity with his knowledge is legendary, and he's just as likely to open a prized bottle for an eager novice as for a seasoned collector.

 

Burgundy wines can become a costly pursuit, in terms of both money and time. 'It's when you start chasing the cultish wines that it gets expensive,' Iggy notes. He lets slip a few insider tips — certain Meursault producers that have serious wines without the accompanying inflation in the secondary market, or hidden gems in the southern or northern ends of the Burgundy region. For those just starting their wine collection, Iggy offers sage advice: 'Always go for the producers. It's important to notice the terroir, but the producer always comes first.'

 

Beyond Burgundy, Iggy is continuously exploring wines from emerging regions like Hokkaido, Japan. 'Because of global warming, these once impossible-to-grow-wine areas are flourishing,' he explains. 'I am blown away by some of these wines.' He was introduced to these wines by simply striking up a conversation with a merchant at a wine shop. And today, he's already connected with a few producers there. 'They are experimenting on a lot of varietals now. It's been an eye-opener for me.'

 

'The more I know, the less I know,' Iggy muses. 'Things evolve all the time.' It's this humble approach, coupled with insatiable curiosity and generosity, that has propelled Iggy to the forefront of the food and wine world, earning him friendships with legendary winemakers, sommeliers, and chefs alike.

 

Enjoy a degustation menu with wine pairings at Iggy's and earn Comocredits at the rate of your tier. Keep an eye out for even more exclusive experiences, where Iggy saves a few precious spots for Comoclubbers.