From national sommelier champion to the founder of Singapore’s first dedicated champagne bar, Yeo Xi Yang is redefining how the Lion City drinks champagne — one glass of bubbly at a time.
In just over a decade, Yeo Xi Yang has established himself as one of Singapore’s most influential voices in wine. From his early days at Les Amis to clinching the title of Singapore National Sommelier Champion in 2022, Yang’s rise has been defined by passion, precision, and a fearless embrace of opportunity.
That same drive saw him open Convivial Champagne Bar in 2023 — Southeast Asia’s first dedicated champagne bar — a bold move that not only carved out a new niche in Singapore’s already dynamic F&B landscape, but also signalled champagne’s place at the heart of conviviality and culture.
For Yang, champagne is more than just effervescence in a glass; it is energy, joy, and social connection — qualities he has bottled into Convivial’s DNA. Now, with the launch of Champagniac, Singapore’s newest and biggest champagne-dedicated festival, Yang is once again pushing boundaries, turning his personal passion into a city-wide movement. As the local wine scene recalibrates in a time of both opportunity and uncertainty, Yang’s vision is as refreshing as the wines he champions: to make champagne both approachable and celebratory, a drink for everyone, not just the elite.
In conversation with us, Yang shares the inspirations that shaped his journey, the challenges of striking out as a solo entrepreneur, and why he believes Singapore is ready to embrace champagne culture on a larger stage.
Tell us about your journey into starting Convivial.
When I started my career at Les Amis, I dealt with fine wines on a regular basis. Amongst all the wines, I somehow had an affinity for Champagne; the verve, energy and emotion that it brings, the celebratory mood that is often associated with opening a champagne, and the immediate pleasure it brings from the get-go. Because of that, I grew deeper in love with Champagne.
However, a champagne bar isn’t a new concept globally; there is Balthazar in Copenhagen and the newly opened Bubble Bliss in Paris. So if Singapore is to be known as a food and beverage capital of the world, then having a Champagne bar should be normal. I’m also certain that if I did not set this up, someone else would very soon. I’m glad that I got the first mover advantage here in Singapore!
You first dreamed of starting your own F&B venture as a teenager. What made you take the leap during the pandemic, and why did you choose champagne as your focus? We understand opening an American-style diner was also an option.
You’re absolutely right, I did dream of starting my own F&B venture in my late teens. And having an American diner was really on my mind! I even created a mock-up menu, filled with all-American classic diner dishes like burgers, milkshakes and stacks of pancakes.
Life had its own plans for me, though. Throughout my career I have always been a sommelier, and I realised that people appreciated the craft that I practice. This encouraged me to keep pursuing this world of wines. And if I were to start a bar on my own, then a Champagne bar would be the natural choice.
The concept started brewing during lockdown, and like many people, I asked myself “is this it, are we just going to live and work and pass on from this world?” And so I decided to pursue this dream of opening my own place. It was also helpful that in recent years, I observed a spike in Champagne consumption in Singapore.
Starting a bar as a solo founder is no easy feat. What were the biggest challenges you faced building Convivial from the ground up, and what kept you motivated through those hurdles?
The hardest season was three to four months prior to us opening our doors in September 2023. Our premise was already confirmed and payment of rent was starting to kick in, but I had zero revenue and everything was still under construction. Financially, I was eating into my savings so much, so quickly. My son was less than five years old and my daughter was two and a half. I needed to be there for my family whilst needing to provide for them too, and that was a real high pressure season for me personally.
What kept me motivated was my absolutely super wife Shirley who was nothing but supportive throughout the journey. I also had mentors who founded their own wine bars themselves years ago, and they were hyper-generous with their time and sharing of entrepreneurial experiences. A big shout-out to Alvin and Ian (of RVLT and now, Revolution) and Gerald (Praelum Wine Bistro) who would answer all my questions, give me tips, alert me on what to watch on for, and showing me the ins-and-outs of this industry.
Many entrepreneurs talk about their “why”. What’s your personal mission behind Convivial, and how do you want it to resonate with Singapore’s wine lovers?
The daily mission is to give our utmost hospitality. I want our guests to feel the genuine sincerity of who we are, through how we speak and behave whether to themselves or even amongst ourselves. Our collection of Champagne and the food we serve are but a vessel to deliver a world-class level of hospitality.
Hospitality is universal, and my hope is for Convivial to be a globally recognised Champagne bar.
Your epiphany moment came with a Krug 1985. What made that champagne so unforgettable, and how does it influence the way you curate your list at Convivial?
Absolutely, and it was a magnum. The balance of freshness and bottle development, the texture and mouthfeel, that unending finish. Man, I still think about it. With that being said, my direction for the wine list at Convivial is to correctly represent the region of Champagne; from the very first Champagne house that ever existed, to vignerons who are just starting out and making their first or second ever vintage, we have them here at Convivial. We are not a grower Champagne bar, nor are we only just filled with esteemed brands. That is the beauty of the region to me actually, the diversity and harmony that they have amongst themselves.
You’ve described champagne as the epitome of conviviality. In your view, what makes champagne so uniquely social compared to other wines?
I have mainstream media to thank for that! Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z, just the mere mention of these names and you know exactly what I’m referring to.
What’s great about Champagne is, it is such a unique wine. It is one of the most technical wines to produce, but it can be consumed in such a carefree manner. If you want to analyse this highly technical drink in a professional wine tasting, it is really one of the world’s best wines out there. If you want to drink it in a club with dizzying lights and roaring beats, that’s highly acceptable too. That’s so cool to me.
With champagne’s reputation often tied to luxury and celebration, how do you balance that heritage with making it more approachable for everyday enjoyment?
As a sommelier, story-telling brings meaning to each bottle being enjoyed. The goal is to share just the right amount of story-telling, making them appreciate the wine more without boring your guests nor making it a flex of how much you know. I often like to make reference to something local, whether in fermentation approach or how we relate to a foreign product created thousands of miles away, so that guests can draw relation and therefore feel connected.
You’re in the midst of planning a dedicated champagne festival, Champagniac. What inspired this initiative, and what do you hope it will bring to the city’s wine scene?
I’ve dreamt of organising a Champagne festival for years now. Singapore has beer festivals, sake festivals, whisky festivals, why not one for Champagne? And I truly believe it should start with me, having started the first dedicated Champagne bar in Southeast Asia two years ago. I’m glad I found a bunch of fellow Champagniacs — Champagne maniacs — several months ago and we were all excited to do this together. It’s finally coming to fruition!
What can champagne lovers expect from the festival in terms of experiences, producers, or new discoveries?
Do expect to see raffle games, spin-the-wheel, lucky draws, and we will have a tokenised system for some premium Champagnes as well. This festival is really meant to be like a carnival or funfair. We want to see people who are champagne-curious and are open-minded to try the range and breadth that this singular wine region has to offer. We will feature stalwart producers of Champagne that have existed 400 years ago, and also artisanal grower producers who are starting out and making their first or second ever vintage, and everyone in between! I am highly confident that seasoned drinkers also have many selections they could look forward to.
There are two wineries that are making their debut in Singapore, and will not be available on retail or anywhere else after the event. They are Champagne Hautbois and Moutard; look out for them!
Do you see the festival as an extension of Convivial, or as something that will stand alone in shaping Singapore’s champagne culture?
The approach and goal is the same; making Champagne for the people! It is its own entity, but those who have been to both would feel similar energy.
Looking ahead, how do you envision Singapore’s wine and champagne scene evolving over the next five years — and what role do you hope to play in it?
What a tough question! I see Convivial as a brushstroke in the great painting of Singapore’s wine scene. We’ve had a few wine bar giants that didn’t see it past this year, but I’m optimistic that with enough support, the Singapore wine scene will still be the frontrunner in our region.
Where are your favourite places to dine and drink in Singapore, and why?
Yet another difficult one! I love to eat at Old Airport hawker centre; a five minute walk from my house. I love to dine at places like Jaan, Claudine, and have a chill evening at either Praelum, Revolution or Les Climats. Well, I say chill but the guys there may disagree.
Finally, if you could share a glass of champagne with anyone — past or present — who would it be, and why?
I would love to have a drink with Jesus. The Son of God who knew no sin, and turned water into wine. That’s cool. So many questions, so many topics to talk about. I know he would outdrink me too, but I’ll put up a fight!
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