Behind the List: Jan Darrell Ong, Shangri‑La Taipei

The best hotel lists aren’t encyclopedias. They’re systems. Every glass has a job: pair with the food, fit the pricing window, and still say something about where it comes from. That’s how Jan Darrell Ong runs wine at Shangri-La Taipei.

Walk his by-the-glass list and you see the pattern. Bordeaux and Burgundy are there—comforts you expect in a luxury hotel. Then a lane change: Clare or Eden Valley Riesling next to Grand Cru Chablis. Grüner Veltliner beside Sancerre. A few Japanese bottlings threaded through. It reads less like a trophy cabinet and more like a map.

“By-the-glass wines need to be versatile and approachable,” Darrell says, “but they still have to tell a story.”

The job this season

Darrell oversees wine across Shangri-La’s restaurants, from Cantonese fine dining at Shang Palace to contemporary Japanese. This season he’s tightening the by-the-glass program: keep the classic references, trim anything ornamental, add a few sharp discoveries that actually move with the menu.

The principles

He uses three anchors:

1. Balance. Nothing that bullies the food.

2. Identity. A list that reflects the hotel’s sustainability commitments and favors wines with a strong sense of place.

3. Food-first. Every pour must earn its keep at the table.

This is where the list gets interesting. “Sense of place” isn’t a slogan; it shows up in the glass. It’s why Riesling—done with tension and mineral drive—keeps showing up.

Taiwan’s demand curve

Taipei is sophisticated and curious. The room still loves Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne. But more guests are asking for discovery without risk:

• Lighter reds that take a chill and behave well with spice.

• Serious sparkling beyond Champagne.

• Expressive Rieslings that carry acid and detail.

• Premium New World (including Australia) for fruit clarity and food-friendliness.

You can see the arc: people want the comfort of what they know and the thrill of one new idea. The list gives them both.

What’s exciting now

For whites, Darrell is pulled toward Clare and Eden Valley Riesling—“tension, citrus lift, mineral structure.” They land perfectly with Asian cuisine where sweetness, heat, and umami trade places from dish to dish.

For reds, he’s bullish on Grenache when it’s handled with restraint: bright fruit, perfume, real gastronomic utility. He’s also watching Japan and Austria—small, thoughtful additions for guests who read the back page.

Pairing that just works

At Shang Palace he likes roasted Ibérico pork with Australian Shiraz. It’s not clever for the sake of it. The dark fruit and spice echo the roast; the tannin cuts fat. It’s simple, correct, and memorable—the kind of pairing that turns a skeptical diner into a repeat order.

Two stops in Taipei

If you’re visiting: start with a bowl of beef noodle soup—local, deep, honest. Then wander Da’an District for small bars pouring both natural and classic selections without the attitude.

A note to the next wave of somms

Darrell's advice is practical: stay curious. Don’t stop at the famous regions. Taste wide, keep tying everything back to food, and learn to tell the story so it lands naturally for the guest. The best lists aren’t loud; they’re legible.

Why this matters to wineries

Buyers like Darrell say yes when a wine clears three hurdles at once:

• Pairs with real dishes, not just tasting-room cheese.

• Prices into a glass without contortions.

• Places itself—origin and intent are obvious in one sentence.

If your bottle does those three things, you’re in the conversation. Make the story crisp and the logistics easy, and you move from “interesting” to “on pour.”

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Find Jan: Instagram @jan.darrell.ong