Madhulika Bhattacharya

Bigger and better would be the right words to describe the delWine Summit and Excellence Awards (dWSEA) that concluded recently in its second edition in New Delhi. Ever since the first edition of India’s “exclusively wine” awards happened in 2016,  the next version of the event was much anticipated, but with the organizers deciding to give 2017 and 2018 a miss, speculation was rife about its version next.

I remember inquiring  Subhash Arora– the founder and key person behind the awards- as to the likely dates of  the next dWEA fixture and  his guarded response was- “only when we are satisfied about fulfilling the event’s evolutionary requirements, will we take a further step’. I could well understand the depth of his statement, given the logistical challenges involved in an exercise of such a magnitude especially in view of India’s less than friendly alcohol laws.

A significant niche of dWSEA lies in its orientation towards individuals and institutions that drive wine rather than wine itself. It doesn’t directly award wines but the hotels, sommeliers and other trade personnel who work closely with wine on a day to day basis.

The day finally arrived this 21st April at the Pullman Hotel New Delhi as dWSEA not only replicated the success of its maiden edition but also expanded its ambit with the first of its kind India Wine Summit that featured industry leaders and achievers like Ravi Viswanathan , Wine Investor and Chairman Grover Zampa Vineyards; Aman Dhall (Brindco) and Arun Kumar (Aspri), prominent Indian importers; Sonal Holland , India’s first and only Master of Wine; Tristan Beau de Lomenie General Manager Pullman and Novotel Hotels; and Loic Pasquet, owner of  Bordeaux’s famed and one of the most expensive wines “Liber Pater”. Leading food journalist Sourish Bhattacharya who is also the co-founder of dWEA was at the helm of the proceedings right since the beginning.

delWine Summit

Debuting this year, was the delWine Summit with its theme as “The Game Changer”.   The summit featured stimulating discussions on Industry issues like “Opportunities and Impediments for International Wines”, “The State of Wine Training: Are We Still Talent Crunched?” and “Industry-Government Interface: Regulatory Challenges for the Indian Wine Sector”.

As panelists brought out the various pros and cons of the wine business in India, the audience lapped up the knowledge that literally came “from the horses’ mouth”. The attendance at the Summit though was relatively lower than should have been but on a positive note it is a beginning well made, if one goes by the enthusiasm generated by the debut Summit.

The Awards

Continuing with its quest to recognize wine industry and hospitality achievers, a major highlight of dWSEA was the Awards function that felicitated the winners. At the forefront was the Women of Wine (WOW) Awards that recognized 10 top women in India who have made extraordinary contributions to the wine industry. The awardees come from diverse functional areas such as wine making, wine sales and marketing, imports, retail and wine education. Arora informed that the journalistic domain was kept out of the purview of the WOW awards this year- the focus being more towards “hands-on” kind of roles.

Click here for more information on WOW winners

The other awards followed, including the Hall of Fame award which went to Rajeev Samant, Founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards and AD Singh, Managing Director of  the Olive Hospitality Group.

Click here to view all the nominations and awards at dWSEA 2019

Wine Divine

Inarguably the best wine sampling opportunity in India, a major attraction at the dWSEA has been its “World of Wines Showcase”.  A vast range of India’s domestic as well as imported wines were offered for tasting at dWSEA 2019, giving a good idea of the range of wines available in the country.

Apart from the top 3 Indian producers viz. Sula, Grover and Fratelli, wines from major importers- Brindco, Aspri, Prestige, Agnetta, Wine Park, Gusto, Hema Connoisseur Collections, VBev and Ace Beveragez formed a part of the “wine promenade” at the expansive Peacock Ballroom of the hotel.The Best Stand of the Evening award went to La Cave by Brindco– that had put up magnificent façades at separate enclosures  for New World and Old World wines from their portfolio.

The awards night concluded with an elaborate buffet spread that made for an infinite number of wine and food pairings , limited only by one’s imagination. The thoughtfulness of the hotel in providing plate clamps for holding the wine glasses made it very convenient to move around and try out the various pairing options.

With the next edition of dWSEA already announced for 30 Apr 2020, it would be worthwhile to mark your calendar  if you happen to be around New Delhi at that time.

For more information on dWSEA, visit the event official site here 

On my way to meet Giovanni Gaja around his wine master class in New Delhi, I had two main expectations- one- to learn a little more about Gaja wines than what I already knew, and two- what else but to  savour some of their famed wines that are loved the world over.

Both my expectations were met well, but there was also something else that I carried back from this rendezvous. It was a realization that even the youngest members of winemaking families can carry the level of wisdom often associated with their much older custodians. As Giovanni chose to highlight Gaja’s pathbreaking work towards sustainable viticulture rather than just waxing eloquent on his wines, I guess this realization was well in order.

Gaja Family Timeline

1859– Founded by Giovanni Gaja (1832-1954).

1905– Angelo Gaja (1876-1944) and Clotilde Rey (1880-1961) succeed Giovanni.

1937– Giovanni Gaja (1908-2002) takes over the reins of the company.

1961– Angelo Gaja enters the business. His wife Lucia joins him in 1970. In the current day the fifth generation (Gaia, Rosanna and Giovanni) are actively supporting their parents in running the business.

Carrying the Gaja Baton

Giovanni was on his second ever visit to India- the first one being 9 years back when he accompanied his family as a teenager. The teenager has grown up since then, enough to represent his family’s illustrious legacy. As an intern to his older sister Gaia who looks after their export markets, Giovanni’s current narrative is to share her workload so that she needs to travel less often than what she was doing earlier. His master class proved that he has been pretty efficient at taking up this responsibility.

After Giovanni’s master class that was attended by key Sommeliers and media persons in New Delhi, I was offered to meet him one-on-one for a conversation courtesy Madhulika Bhattacharya a.k.a. Madame La Cave whose store La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits exclusively stocks Gaja wines.  La Cave’s parent company Brindco imports Gaja wines in India and this tight integration ensures that they get the right environment to put their best foot forward in a country that is slowly but steadily awakening to wine.

My Conversation with Giovanni Gaja

Gaja has a presence in Piedmont as well as Tuscany. How do you think that the winemaking philosophy in these two distinctive regions agrees or differs?

Giovanni Gaja (GG) : It actually depends on which place in Tuscany you are talking about. If it is Montalcino, then Sangiovese is as difficult to cultivate as Nebbiolo because both these varietals are very soil specific and climate-driven. So the challenges at both Piedmont and Tuscany work out more or less similar.

In contrast, if you talk of Bolgheri,  varietals like the Cabernets and Merlot are comparatively easier to cultivate due to their proven adaptability to various terroirs. Tuscany here gets easier to manage than Piedmont.

In your master class you said that the changing global climate has actually been beneficial for varietals like Nebbiolo. Could you elaborate a little on that?

GG: Well, if you see the cultivation history of Nebbiolo, the varietal faced a problem of inadequate ripeness in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. During those decades it was very difficult to attain a decent level of alcohol in the grapes. Acidity levels were high and the resultant wines were impossible to drink young. It was not uncommon to wait 15 years to enjoy the wines appreciably well.

Today the situation is reversed. Alcohol levels now are a problem on the other end of the spectrum. But we can always pick early to obtain the grapes at optimum maturity levels. So ripeness is hardly a concern now.

It is a point to note that while between 1980 and 1992 Gaja had only three excellent vintages, between 2000 and 2012 most of our vintages have been excellent. It speaks a lot about the ever improving resilience of our vines.

The other advantage of climate change is that the wines from varietals like Nebbiolo are drinkable much earlier. You just tasted the Gaja Barbaresco 2014 at the master class. I wouldn’t say that it is perfect to drink right now but it is surely drinkable without the presence of highly aggressive tannins or acidity- a problem that existed in the past for such young wines.

You also spoke of planting species other than grapes in the vineyards to promote better crops. Isn’t that a significant departure from your founding father’s approach of not planting anything else than grapes in the vineyards?

GG: This is something that the changing climate has forced on us. Over a period of time, we analysed and experimented to conclude that other plants provide certain biodiversity for preserving the desirable characteristics of our vines. In fact, we needed a little getting-used-to seeing our vineyards in an apparently unkempt manner. During my grandfather’s time the vineyards looked very much like perfectly manicured gardens.

 Viticultural initiatives by Gaja

• Cypress trees planted on vineyard borders to protect the vines from strong winds. These also act as shelters for various bird species.
• Flowers whose roots purify the soil are planted across vineyards. Bees and wasps thrive in such surroundings indicating a good ecological balance.
• In-house compost (70 tons per annum) is produced using California red worms.
• Moisture and warmth retention in the soil by growing leguminous plants alongside vineyards and flattening them against the earth to provide a thermic blanket. In warmer years the plants are cut rather than flattening them. The plants also prevent soil erosion during heavy rains.
  

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You also said that 20 years back Gaja shunned pesticide use in the vineyards. Would it be safe to say that you were the early starters in organic viticulture?

GG: First of all I would like to clarify that we do not prefer to fall into categories like “organic” and “biodynamic”. That said, we have certainly taken inspiration from such practices. But the difference is that we have evolved on our own over our 150 years plus history by trial and error, understanding how our vineyards work. I would hence prefer to call our viticultural practices as the “Gaja methodology”.

It is the reason why we sell our wines as Gaja and not as “organic” or “biodynamic. Because behind the name itself there is an inherent assurance of the best possible quality that respects the environment. Hence we do not require certifications to prove that. The best part is, that our customers understand this value proposition well.

Going back in history again, your great-grandfather Giovanni is believed to have started making wine to serve diners at his trattoria. Are you still making higher volume wines like a Dolcetto?

GG: Not anymore. My father was producing wines with Dolcetto as well as Barbera until the 1990s but we discontinued those to focus on our core wines.

I also came to know that you accompany your father on weekend bicycle rides in the Barbaresco region. What are your discussions like?

GG: <pleasantly surprised> How do you know that? I had indeed been accompanying my father on bicycle rides that went up to 70 kms at a stretch. But since the last three years, we have discontinued these as Angelo is now 78 and he needed to slow down a little.

During our rides, we chatted on everything else but business. Actually, we spoke very little because otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to cycle much <laughs>. I don’t know if you have been to the Langhe region….

Me: No I haven’t.

GG: …So it is a breathtakingly beautiful landscape- particularly the Alta Langhe which is higher in altitude and less heavy with vineyards. After completing these rides, Angelo would invariably return with fresh ideas spurred by a relaxed state of mind. It was hence his way to focus on his thoughts – something which might not have been possible during the extremely busy work weeks.

I know that it may be difficult to shortlist, but are there any favourites among your own wines?

GG: The Barbaresco is my top choice for sure. It is the wine we have always produced and that which we are particularly known for.

I also love Magari as I feel very attached to our Ca’Marcanda estate for a good reason. I was born in 1993 and Ca’Marcanda estate was acquired by my family in 1996. So it is something like we’ve grown together. I’ve seen Ca’Marcanda grow in terms of architecture as well as quality of wine. These vines are now 22 years old and starting to show their real potential.

Vines are much like people. Similar to young people who are often happy-go-lucky, vines too  have to be trained and nurtured  for the first 15 years or so.  Once they are 15-20 years old, they tend to understand what you taught them and start measuring up to the expectations.

The name Ca’Marcanda derives from a Piedmontese dialect expression which can be translated as the “house of endless negotiations”. It refers to the several meetings between the previous land owners and Angelo Gaja. The very long negotiations finally concluded in 1996 with the land purchase by Gaja.

Did you get to try any Indian wines during this trip?

GG: Indeed! Today, I tried Grover’s (Grover Zampa Vineyards) La Reserve. I found it very interesting!

Which are the other world wines that you like?

GG: I like the Burgundies because I find some similarities between Burgundy and Piedmont, as well as Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. I think that Barbaresco and Barolo may be completely opposite to Burgundies when young but as they age, they exhibit somewhat similar characteristics.

I also like the Cabernets. <laughing> If my sister (Gaia) hears this she would kill me. She often pulls me up saying that I have a palate that is easy to please. But it remains a fact that while I certainly like Nebbiolo, I also like good Bordeaux wines for their velvetiness that is difficult to find elsewhere. The best part is that you do not always have to go to the First Growths to find that pleasure.

Talking of your sister Gaia whom you are assisting nowadays, did she offer you any particular guidelines for this trip?

GG: Not really! I feel very lucky to have grown up with two older sisters (Gaia and Rosanna) who have been working in the winery for 14 and 10 years respectively. In Italy, there is a saying that “no one is ever born taught”. It means that in life you always need to have someone to teach and guide you on what is wrong or right. To that effect, I am extremely lucky that I have not only my parents but also my sisters to do that for me.

My learning has been continuous, as over the years I have been undertaking many trips around the world with Gaia . I have keenly observed her interactions and listened to her speeches. I have also travelled with my father and listened to his speeches as well. Everyone has a different way to communicate the same concept. It is all about listening, learning and clarifying what one doesn’t understand. Sometimes you make mistakes and learn from them.

Are there any plans to expand the Gaja footprint beyond Piedmont and Tuscany?

GG: As a matter of fact we have already partnered with a winemaker called Alberto Graci to produce wines in Sicily. This is the first ever partnership by Gaja. The vineyard location is between 600-1000m in Etna DOC. We would majorly be producing wines from the Nerello Mascalese and Carricante over there.

Let’s face it. The ease of drinking beer is unparalleled in the world of beverages. That’s why “chugging beer” is such a popular phrase. But mind you; approachable it may be, the world of beer can also be full of complexities that could at times put even a snooty wine to unease. With humungous choices of beer across the world, this is well nigh impossible.

India, of late, has woken up to the beer phenomenon like never before. From just a few “plain Jane” options until a few years back, the country has witnessed a craft beer revolution of sorts- at least in the major cities. The latest one to hop on this bandwagon is Hopper- an authentic Belgian craft beer that comes from the 124-year-old Brouwerij (Brewery) De Brabandere located in Bavikhove, Belgium.

So, what’s new about Hopper?

Hopper is not as simple as another beer imported in India. It is the result of a partnership between Brindco– India’s prominent alcoholic beverages importer and the Brouwerij De Brabandere. Together, they have developed the beer by perfecting a 100 year old recipe that was handed down five generations of the  De Brabandere family. Even the bottle design of the beer is bespoke, inspired by traditional Gothic architecture. The beer is available in two variants- a Witbier and a Blonde, in retail as well as on the tap in bars/restaurants.

Witbier

Dutch for “white beer” it is named so for its usually turbid appearance due to it being unfiltered. It is a Belgian style Ale with a high level of wheat, and sometimes oats content. Witbier is mostly spiced, generally with coriander and orange peel.

Blonde

A generic reference to a pale coloured beer, often clear, crisp, and dry.  A Blonde beer can come as both an Ale (top fermented) or Lager (bottom fermented).

Aman Dhall, the owner of Brindco and Co-founder Hopper, is known for his penchant for details. Before Hopper arrived on the Indian shores, he went around Brouwerij De Brabandere, understanding its ethos and experiencing all the steps of production processes. It was only when he was satisfied with the right fit of the brew for the Indian market that he decided to go full throttle. Going by the initial response at the launch, he may  feel encouraged already.

Famously launched

At the expansive lawns of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in New Delhi, Aman and his wife Madhulika Dhall (also the head of Brindco’s retail arm La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits) enthusiastically received the guests even as copious amounts of Hopper did the rounds. Ambassador François Delhaye highlighted the prominence of his country in producing a vast range of beers (more than a dozen styles and 1000 brands) and welcomed the gathering.

For the launch event, the brewery’s 5th generation Albert De Brabandere and Head  Brewmaster Chris Van Acker flew down specially to interact first hand with beer aficionados. They passionately answered queries ranging from the technical to historical. A live band pepped up the evening and food stations buzzed with action all through the evening.

The Variants

(Both the variants are priced at approx ₹ 150/-  in retail across major Indian cities. Also available on tap in bars/restaurants)

Hopper Witbier

The USP of Hopper Witbier is in its full body and smoothness. The beer pours with a dense foam and comes across as extremely refreshing. Its citrus and coriander nuances accentuate the freshness factor well. According to the producer, the brew for their Witbier is fermented for 7 days and matured for 25 days, making it round and smooth.

Hopper Blonde

The producer specifies this as a “true Belgian lager” made with 100% malt. Hopper Blonde is clean, crisp and refreshing with a long finish.  The high-quality hops are evident in the beer with well-integrated floral aromas. The blonde version is fermented for 8 days and matured for 30 days.

Which one is for you?

At the launch event, opinion on preference was divided between the two variants. But there was a slight tilt in favour of the Witbier, apparently because Indians have consumed lagers for long whereas wheat beers are still considered a novelty. If you set aside the novelty aspect, I would recommend the lager with food for its palate cleansing capabilities, and the Witbier as a thirst quencher for parched palates. Of course, there would be several more ways in which you could enjoy these beers.

Chugging being one of them.

Partaking in wine tastings and dinners is arguably the most glamorous part of the wine profession. However, at times things get so hectic that you have to skip some in favour of others. For me, priority tastings are those where  winemakers arrive themselves to share their stories. After all wine is much more than an alcoholic beverage, isn’t it?

My latest wine outing- the first one of 2018- quite befittingly involved sharing a paired dinner with Anna Abbona, the fifth generation owner of the iconic Italian wine house Marchesi di Barolo. The dinner was organized by Brindco and La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits (my hosts), in association with the Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi.

Though I have tasted wines from Marchesi di Barolo several times, this occasion was rather special. How else would you describe a tasting where the winemaker shares gems of information you would otherwise not come across routinely? For instance did you know that the Barolo commune has only about 700 residents? Humorously, Anna also shared that at times she meets more people in her wine dinners than in Barolo!

The Delhi outing started with rounds of Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée -my preferred style of Pinot Noir heavy champagnes. The champagne is imported in India by Brindco and exclusively available at the La Cave store.  Anna was her hospitable best, mingling with guests, especially those like me whom she had not met earlier. Her ease with everyone conveyed that she was a people’s person- certainly a desirable trait for passionate winemakers on an outreach mission.

Following the aperitif rounds, we moved to the dining area where a four course paired dinner, with even more courses awaited us. After a brief introduction by Madhulika Bhattacharya, owner La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits, Anna shared the history of Marchesi di Barolo to orient the guests towards the dinner.

Marchesi di Barolo: Founded on Love

Situated in Piemonte in the Barolo town of Langhe (meaning a strip of land), Marchesi di Barolo is the house that started it all. It evolved a distinct style of wine that came to be identified with the richness and ageing potential typical to the Barolo region. It also proliferated Barolo wine throughout the world to make it one of the most famous wines from Italy.

And all of this started with a love story- between an Italian Noble man and a French noble lady.

A Story Every Wine Lover Must Know

In 1807, Carlo Tancredi Falletti , the Marquis of Barolo married Juliette Colbert de Maulévrier, grand daughter of Minister of Finance of King Louis XIV. Juliette brought with her the knowledge of wines from France and noticed the great potential of wines of Barolo. She envisaged that these wines could be better produced in a drier style as opposed to the then prevalent sweet/sparkling styles. She believed that such an approach would bring out the qualities typical of the soil of the region as well as the Nebbiolo grape variety. Her vision indeed came true and the famous Barolo wine of today was born.

But Juliette also possessed another great skill indispensable to any commercial venture.  Thanks to her penchant for marketing, she was able to promote her wines in the court of Turin and other royal courts of Europe.

Legend has it, that Juliette Colbert dispatched 325 barrels of wine (one for each day of the year minus 40 on account of assumed abstinence during Lent) to the court of Carlo Alberto- the king of Savoy when the latter expressed his keenness to taste her wines. That is probably what gave Barolo wines the title “the king of wines and the wine of kings” – a phrase well identified in context of Barolo till date.

Time and tide wait for none and Juliette passed away in 1864, marking an end of the prestigious Falletti dynasty. She did not have any children, but had enough foresight to create through her will, Opera Pia Barolo, a charitable entity to preserve her cultural and economic heritage. Her foresight went even further, seeing the Opera  become her universal heir.

A New Beginning

Destiny though, had greater fame in store for Barolo wines. In 1929 the Abbona family who had their own wine cellars next to the Castle of Marquis Falletti decided to acquire Agenzia Tenuta Opera Pia Barolo.

Pietro Abbona, his brother Ernesto and sisters Marina and Celestina took charge of the ancient cellars of Marchesi di Barolo with the dual intent of preserving its illustrious legacy and to proliferate it across all possible shores of the world. Pietro Abbona effectively helmed the widespread reach of Barolo, an acknowledgement of which can be found in Massimo Martinelli’s book Barolo As I Know It :

Of the personages connected with the name Barolo, some may be considered of historic importance, real and true pioneers…[of these] people first place goes to Pietro Abbona, undisputed patriarch of Barolo…who, as an unquestionable stand-bearer, made the wine of his region known throughout the world.

An Onerous Responsibility

According to Anna, it was not easy for their family to acquire the Marchesi di Barolo estate and preserve its heritage. Owing to this illustrious legacy, she feels even more committed and special to carry forward the work of her forefathers. Today, Anna and her husband Ernesto represent the fifth  generation of the Abbona family. They are absolutely hands on with their work, be it production, marketing or other functions. Their children Valentina and Davide are already in the groove- being actively involved in various aspects of the business.

Marchesi di Barolo Dinner Pairings at New Delhi

Marchesi di Barolo, Gavi di Gavi DOC 2016

Gavi wines are made from the Cortese grape varietal. Gavi di Gavi goes a step further in quality, in that it can come only from the Gavi commune in Piemonte.

The wine displayed an initial aroma of rock salt, developing further into tropical aromas of passion fruit and pineapple. The palate had decent acidity (not over the top), clean and neutral mouthfeel and a fruity-minerally finish. It worked well with the Norwegian Salmon and Sea Scallop Carpaccio supplemented by pickled egg white and cape gooseberries.

Marchesi di Barolo, Madonna del Dono Dolcetta d’Alba DOC 2016

While the world knows a lot about Barolo and Barbaresco wines from Piemonte, Dolcetto wines are the ones drunk by the Piemontese  on a day to day basis.

The wine is made from 100% Dolcetto grapes (a grape varietal not to be confused with the word Dolce in Italian meaning ‘sweet’).

At the outset, the wine exuded appetising aromas of fresh raspberries and red cherries. The palate was luscious and juicy with red fruit characteristics. This wine can stand on its own or with food. Though it was not a misfit with the Green Asparagus Soup served with Edamame and Morel Ravioli, I preferred the soup more with the Gavi di Gavi remaining in my glass from the earlier course. Some food accompaniments for this wine that I can think of can be a Canneloni, paneer tikka (grilled cottage cheese) or similar soft and creamy dishes.

Marchesi di Barolo, Barbaresco DOCG 2013

Like in war, where heavy artillery is mobilised to pummel fortified targets, Anna  announced the arrival of the ‘big boys’ when their Barbaresco and Barolo started pouring to match the robust main courses .

It is largely true that a Barbaresco is a softer style than Barolo, though both are made from the same grape varietal i.e. Nebbiolo. Barbaresco is often drinkable much earlier than a  Barolo and hence is more approachable. These differences reinforce the premise of different terroirs where each of these wines represent the soil and climate characteristics  typical to the Barolo and Barbaresco communes of Piemonte.

Marchesi di Barolo Barbaresco 2013 lived up to its expectations of a rounded character replete with floral, earthy and chocolate flavours.  The tannins were grippy towards the finish with flavours of mulberry and plums.  It did full justice to the Tumbled Chicken Breast with Black Carrot, Sundried Tomato and Jalapeno emulsion served alongside Moroccan Cous Cous.

Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo DOCG 2012

Undoubtedly the flagship wine, this one packed all the punch, and you could sense it on the nose with its unbridled power waiting to  let loose. A little ‘closed’ at the time of serving the wine started developing slowly into aromas of blackberries, black cherries and chocolate. It reaffirmed on the palate with rounded steely tannins and an oaky finish.

The wine worked like magic with the power inducing Smoked Duck Breast served with Jewel Potato Fondant, Wine Poached Pear and Fennel Compote.

Coravin- the world’s most fancied wine gadget has arrived in India. And it is brought in by none other than Brindco – the country’s leading wine importer. For a gadget that was launched in 2013 and already present in more than 50 countries it may appear a delayed entry, but considering India’s early stages of wine evolution, Coravin’s arrival can be considered very much timely.

My first brush with Coravin was in 2016 at the Austrian wine fair VieVinum in Vienna. The device evoked my inquisitiveness, largely incumbent on my engineering background. However, I realized soon that unless one went into the aspects of metallurgy and atomic valencies, the functioning of Coravin was pretty simple to understand. Isn’t that what technology is supposed to do? Make life easier for average consumers.

Simple as 1-2-3

So what does Coravin exactly do? To put it verbatim in Coravin’s terms:

The Coravin System is a wine access tool that allows the desired quantity of any wine, from any bottle to be poured and enjoyed by the glass, without uncorking. By preserving the wine with the patented Coravin technology, the remaining wine is kept unspoiled and in pristine condition.

Coravin does so in three simple steps:

1. A fine hollow medical grade needle pierces the cork closure (or a Coravin cap for screwcap bottles) and injects Argon- a harmless inert gas- into the bottle.

2. The pressure created within the bottle pushes wine out through the same needle. When the desired amount of wine is poured, the needle is withdrawn and the gas is left in place to prevent oxidation.

3. The cork reseals itself naturally and the wine does not aerate, meaning any amount of the wine can be tasted at any point and the last glass will taste just as good as the first.

This is how Coravin works

But the engineering devil in me was hard to satisfy. Why Argon? Why not another inert gas like Krypton or Xenon? I am sure similar questions would have come to Coravin inventor Greg Lambrecht’s mind when he was developing the system. It turned out so, that Argon is by far the most easy and economical to produce as compared to other inert gases. And price is certainly a factor for a product being developed to be sold in the market.

An inert gas ensures non reactivity with wine while at the same time protecting it from contact with oxygen, as oxidation is the main enemy of wine.

Lambrecht, a versatile proponent of physics, nuclear power and medical engineering combined his expertise in technology and love of wine to create Coravin. In his words – “the Coravin Wine System can be enjoyed in numerous settings, with restaurants and bars embracing the technology that allows wine-by-the-glass programs to expand without fear of wasted wine. Diners and wine drinkers can also enjoy a wider selection of premium wines and can pair multiple bottles with their meal, instead of committing to just one bottle.”

Significance of Coravin’s Import in India

As Aman Dhall, the suave Chef d’Entreprise of Brindco demonstrated the product during its launch in New Delhi, I felt relieved learning that I didn’t end up buying the product in Vienna , as it would have entailed confiscation by Indian customs- Argon gas being listed as ‘hazardous’ in the country. Needless to say, the device would have been useless without the gas capsules.

The import of Coravin in India hence becomes even more significant as now people can buy a functional system legally in the country. Given the notorious reputation of Indian bureaucracy, getting a green flag for import was steeply uphill as Aman informed that they had to obtain clearances from several ministries of the Indian Government before the equipment could land in the country!

The most significant advantage of Coravin’s import in India is that you can buy the device and its expendables legally in the country without worrying about the expendables running out.

The launch event

The India launch of Coravin happened at The Lodhi, New Delhi – a destination which has recently been named as the top hotel in Asia and number 2 in the world by the Condé Nast Readers Travel Awards 2017. The wines to serve the demonstration too, added to the charm.   Who would complain of accessing a Pouilly Fuisse and a Barolo at a demonstration just to showcase the capabilities of Coravin?

Aman along with Madhulika Bhattacharya Dhall a.k.a. Madame LaCave, who spearheads the La Cave Fine Wine Store, Brindco’s retail arm where Coravin is available, demonstrated the device and encouraged all attendees to try their hands at it. We did so with glee, reaping the rewards of our effort by relishing the delightful wines. An exquisite food pairing spread ensured that the wines didn’t  feel alone.

To Coravin or not to Coravin?

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, so let us take this question contextually. Sometime back, I had written a post on this blog discussing the merits and demerits of buying a premium range of glassware. It concluded that price was not the only consideration when customers bought a niche product of its domain. Same applies here too. In a nutshell, Coravin  is likely to find favour with people who regularly open good wines but are compelled to expend them fully, even if they would want to save them for later.  Some typical scenarios where one would like to use Coravin would be:

#1 High Value Wines

The main premise of Coravin is to be able to access a wine without affecting its cellar life, and the longest lived wines are invariably high valued. If you could enjoy a cherished wine on more than one occasion without having to worry about bottoming it, your dexterity for savouring the wine would surely go up manifold.

#2 More wines less people

How many wines do you open for a group of say- four friends at a five course paired dinner? Most likely five. Even in case of three wines (if you are repeating wines across courses) it means that the bottles have to be expended soon. With Coravin, you can get over that hurdle and preserve your wines for yet another round of wine bonhomie.

#3  Prized, not necessarily pricey wines

A wine I recently opened was Hardys Stamp Collection Merlot autographed and presented to me by none other than Bill Hardy himself! Despite being an inexpensive wine, it was one of my most cherished possessions that I would have liked to share with some true blue wine friends, who would be excited about it the same way I was. Since it was unlikely that all vino friends would be available en masse to share the wine, Coravin could definitely have helped in preserving it across multiple sittings.

#4  Wines by the glass in restaurants

Many restaurants across the world have already started using Coravin systems to expand their ‘wine by the glass’ offerings. As compared to static and bulky wine dispensing and preservation systems, Coravin’s portability makes it possible to serve the customer right at his table , with the wine being poured out in full view.

#5  Storage space considerations

You have cellaring space for sealed bottles but what about the ones that have been opened but not exhausted? The most common approach in such cases is to store the partially opened bottles in the fridge. Unless you have a dedicated refrigeration space for wine bottles, this approach is fraught with problems like ambient aromas, space limitation etc. With Coravin you could just put the bottle back in the cellar like it was resting  earlier.

Coravin Models in India

All models of Coravin essentially perform the same function i.e. dispense wine from a sealed bottle using the same mechanism. From the initial model launched in 2013, a lot of refinements have taken place in its build, accessories and needle engineering. In the recent models, a thinner hollow needle now offers more output of wine per unit of time.

(Sequentially) Model 1, Model 2 and Model 2 Elite

Coravin Model 1 ( ₹ 21,624)
Available in blue/white combo. Includes two premium Coravin capsules.

Coravin Model 2 (₹ 29,496)
Sports a modern look with a dark graphite finish. Includes two premium Coravin capsules.

Coravin Model 2 Elite (₹ 32,150)
Available in three distinctive colors- red, gold and silver, all with chrome finish. Each includes two premium Coravin capsules.

Coravin Capsules  (approx ₹ 1500 for two) One capsule lasts upto 15 glasses of 150 ml pour each.

Click here to know more details on usage and maintenance of Coravin wine access systems

Penfolds- Australia’s iconic wine brand has been in India for several years now. But it’s grand coming in the country happened just recently with it’s fresh alignment with Brindco– the top importer of the country. This synergy is likely to catapult Penfolds into the next rung of wine success, given Brindco’s firm grip over the wine market in India.

Sam Stephens, Brand Ambassador  Penfolds, who arrived specially for a multi city relaunch of his wines was upbeat at the fresh alignment. Fresh from high profile events and dinners in Bangalore and Mumbai, Sam mixed around with wine lovers, trade and media in New Delhi at the resplendent Bikaner House, a heritage building built in early twentieth century to house the royals of the erstwhile princely state of Bikaner. Only this time it was splashed with  red,  in sync with the brand’s ubiquitous identity. Yodi Mootoosamy, Regional Sales Director- Emerging Markets Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) – the umbrella organization that owns Penfolds brand, was in attendance as well.

Five wines from Penfolds stable  (details towards the end) were fielded at the launch event. Coupled with several courses whipped up by One Fine Meal– a Delhi based fine catering concern, the event literally put the pairings in the delighted guests’ mouths. The images below silently narrate the soirée.

The Penfolds Story

Foundation

The world of wine is replete with fascinating stories and Penfolds is surely one such inspiring tale. It all started in 1844 when Christopher Rawson Penfold (1811-1870), a medical practitioner from Brighton, England, and his wife Mary- both of them passionate vinos- arrived in South Australia and purchased a plot of land in Adelaide. They  planted with the root stalks from back home in what is now famous as Magill Estate–  Penfolds headquarters which is barely a few kilometres away from the Adelaide Central Business District.

Initially starting with fortified wines Penfolds’ stature quickly grew and by 1907 it became South Australia’s largest winery. Throughout its history, Penfolds has owned and leased vineyards in addition to sourcing grapes from independent growers. The company has vineyards spread all over South Australia viz. Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Barossa and Eden Valley.

The Grange Story

But the most defining moment for Penfolds current standing in the world came with an experiment that created its flagship wine Grange. The person central to this experiment was Penfolds first Chief Winemaker Max Schubert who joined the company as a messenger boy in 1931. In 1948, at the age of 33, Schubert became Penfolds’ first Chief Winemaker.

It was in 1950 that Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain & Portugal. On a side trip to Bordeaux, he became inspired by the French style of wines  and started dreaming of making ‘something different and lasting’ of his own.

Back in Adelaide, Schubert set about looking for appropriate ‘raw material’ and discovered Shiraz as his grape of choice. Combining traditional Australian techniques with his knowledge acquired in Europe, he made his first experimental wine, which to his disappointment did not find favour with the Penfolds management.

Not to be discouraged, Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages ’57, ’58 and ’59, in the depths of his cellars. His optimism eventually paid, with the Penfolds board ordering the  production of Grange, just in time for the 1960 vintage. Three decades later, he was vindicated as the 1990 vintage of Grange was named Wine Spectator’s Red Wine of the Year.  Awards have ever since become a norm for this ‘prestige cuvée’ of Penfolds. So much so, that in 2008, Grange won a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world’s most influential wine magazines- Wine Spectator and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

Advantage Brindco

So what is significant in making the fresh alliance in India? Stephens is quite upfront in accepting that it is only now that they have aligned with the right partner who can truly realize their aspirations in the  promising Indian market for wine. Aman Dhall, the Chef d’Entreprise  of Brindco has similar thoughts. Dhall brings out that the addition of Penfolds in their portfolio also brings  better synergy within other TWE brands with them viz. Rawson’s Retreat, Rosemount Estate and Lindeman’s .

Turbo Charging through La Cave

But there is another ace up Brindco’s sleeve to enhance the value proposition offered to brands like Penfolds. It is the forward integration with  their in-house retail venture “La Cave”  spearheaded by  Madame LaCave née Madhulika Bhattacharya, who is also Dhall’s wife. Madhulika’s penchant to connect with consumers through initiatives like Unwined by LaCave dinners, Fine Wine Affair and an effective social media outreach are being well received in the wine circles of India, providing the desired stimulant to popularise wine culture in the country.

Wines at the Launch Event

(Retail Prices indicated ex Delhi)

As informed by Madhulika,  Grange is available in limited numbers, hence allocated on special demand. The other labels though are  freely available in retail in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Autumn Riesling 2014 (₹ 2620, 92.5% Riesling 7.5% Traminer, Alc 12%)

An expressive nose of white flowers and citrus fruits. Good acidity yet plump on the palate. A good conversation starter.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2015 (₹ 1660, Alc 13.5%)

Fresh aromas of citrus fruits and white flowers. Refreshing palate with tropical fruit flavours. Good with sea food and grilled cuisine.

Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro 2014 (₹ 2900, 82% Shiraz, 18 % Mataro, Alc 14.5%, )

Aromas of black cherries and mixed herbs. Juicy with an appreciable structure. Would go famously with charcuterie.

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2014 (₹ 5410, Alc 14.5%)

Inky with ripe aromas of black berries and a hint of smoke. Robust and dense on the palate. Barbecued food will accompany this wine well.

Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (₹ 11490, Alc 14.5%)

Refined aromas of black fruits and spice. Savoury on the palate. Lots of power under the hood. Grilled and seared meats will give this wine its due.

“It takes a thousand small steps to make our wines” – these words of Bruce Cakebread summarise his enterprise’s passion behind winemaking.  Bruce, the President and COO of Cakebread Cellars, was in India this February to “meet new friends over a glass of wine”. At a dinner organized by  La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits store  that exclusively stocks the Cakebread Cellars wines in Delhi, Bruce mingled with one and all with natural ease, thanks to his familiarity with India. I was quick to whisk him aside for an exclusive  tête-a-tête even before the first guest for the evening arrived and the first of the Champagnes were sabred.

About Cakebread Cellars

One of the foremost wineries of the famed Napa Valley in California,  Cakebread Cellars was established in 1973 by Bruce’s parents Jack and Dolores Cakebread with a casual initiation. They were out on a photographic expedition, shooting  for Nathan Chroman’s “Treasury of American Wines” when the sight of  Sturdivant Ranch in Rutherford took them in, and they ended up buying property.  It was not long before they planted their first Sauvignon Blanc vines in the estate and the edifice of Cakebread Cellars was established..

After more than 40 years and several harvests later, Cakebread Cellars now own properties located throughout Napa Valley and a location in the Anderson Valley. Its 13 sites span 1100 acres of real estate, 560 acres of which are currently planted.  Jack and Dolores continue to lead the company with Bruce and his brother Dennis playing active roles in the family business.

Bruce joined his family business in 1979 and has overseen several of its milestones. Having first studied Pomology (tree fruits) at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, he switched over to the Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California at Davis consequent to his decision to enter the family business.

After working alongside his father since the winery was founded in 1973, Bruce assumed the winemaking position in 1979, overseeing all vineyard operations and winemaking duties until 2002 when he became president and COO.

Bruce is currently the President of the Napa Valley College Foundation Board, serves on the Viticulture and Enology Executive Leadership Board at UC Davis, is an alternate on the Napa County Flood Control District, and is past President of the Board of Napa Valley Vintners Association, serving in 2010 and in 2013.

My Conversation with Bruce Cakebread

This is your umpteenth time in India. What changes do you notice in particular?

The most significant change that I notice is the proliferation of standalone fine dining restaurants in the country. During my first visit to India 10 years ago, I came across only one such restaurant. Now there are so many options that you are actually spoilt for choices.

Another change that I notice in the country is the large scale proliferation of social media, which is empowering businesses and consumers alike.

A hot topic related to the United States today is the immigration policy enforced by the Trump administration, which is said to be discriminatory towards migrant workers. Does it affect your workforce? If yes then how are you coping with it?

The latest work force restrictions have undoubtedly affected us in terms of finding good qualified labour. This is a problem not just for us but the overall agricultural sector in the US. However the issue is not something that has sprung up during Trump’s tenure- being alive since the previous regimes too. I believe that Governments need to come forward to resolve this issue on priority.

Majority of our workers come from Mexico. They work during summer and fall, thereafter going back to their families across the border. This back and forth movement has to be safe for all, which is clearly not so in the present day.  It is a challenging proposition but has to be done.

On our part, we have tried to overcome the work force problem by mechanizing many of our vineyard operations. For example during the pre-pruning, we use machines to tear and brush off the trellis of redundant portions of vines, thereby completing 75% of the work. Though a human  is required to operate the machine, the overall manpower requirement has been drastically reduced . Similarly we are looking at optimizing other labour intensive jobs.

Which would be these measures?

The possibilities are endless. This year, we plan to spray vineyards through drones rather than a person physically venturing with a backpack.We can also have driver less tractors in the farms akin to the concept of driver less cars.

Use of modern technology versus the old school thought of sticking to artisanal practices has been an issue of debate since long . What is your take on that? Going further, what is the general orientation of the US wine industry in this respect?

Wherever processes become faster and  efficient, keeping quality intact, I am all for co-opting technology in vineyard operations. At Cakebread Cellars, we continuously adapt measures that improve our products and processes. For example we pick the grapes at night to get the fruit ice cold, whereby we don’t have to spend energy  chilling it. The hand picking crew too, is more comfortable working during cooler night time, enabling them to work for longer and hence earning more money. It is also good for the quality of wine which turns out more age worthy. All of these factors offer a win-win situation viz. improved wine,enhanced crew comfort and better efficiency.

In the US, particularly in the Napa valley, San Francisco and Bay area, people are liberal and open to innovation. This is probably why the Silicon Valley landed in the Bay area. These are the areas where you can expect a fresh Salmon or Cod from the Pacific coast prepared in an Asian way. It exhibits a keenness of wineries to experiment pairings with different cuisines, which in turn makes the appeal of their wines global.

You studied pomology before venturing into viticulture and oenology. How handy did your background with tree fruits come in the vineyards?

Just understanding agriculture is a good start because it helps you in adapting to a particular season. Bio diversity in vineyards is undoubtedly an important parameter in vineyard ecology.

A lot of growers will try to analyse the last year’s problems and attempt to fix them in the current season. However if you plan to play poker with mother nature, the deck is often going to change. Hence one has to look at present issues, rather than  dwelling in the past. A good understanding of agriculture facilitates applying focus on grapevines with the overall consideration of bio diversity all around.To that effect, I feel that my exposure with tree fruits has been an added skill.

When the infamous phylloxera struck in 1989, American rootstocks turned saviours for many. But I believe your vineyards also suffered the phylloxera scourge. Does that mean that you were not using American rootstock in those days?

During the phylloxera era,  most of California was planted with AXR-1, a cross between native American rootstock and a French species.  AXR-1 was easy to grow , graft and was quite drug tolerant. You could grow it on hills, valleys and pretty much everywhere. However it did not turn out phylloxera resistant and that compelled us to deconstruct as to how California could miss the details despite there being an  evidence of  a research on the subject in South Africa in the 1960s . But obviously in those times information was not as easily available as in the Internet era.

In Napa valley, the initial outbreak of phylloxera was localized but was aggravated due to a big flood in 1986 that moved a lot of soil around. Everyone was replanting and we took an aggressive stance to replant our entire vineyards sooner than later. We signed up 5 year contracts with growers who could take it to the banks and get loans to replant-  which otherwise was a very expensive proposition. All these efforts saw sudden jump in the fruit quality vis-à-vis the AXR-1 rootstalk.  It put Napa faster on the world wine map that if we had waited for the old AXR vines to peter out. So phylloxera eventually worked to our benefit (smiles).

Certain Cakebread Cellars wines have intriguing names such as Rubaiyat and Vaca. What are they all about?

Rubaiyat, inspired from Omar Khaiyyam’s famous compilation of poems, began as our effort to evolve a light red wine from individual leftover quantities of Merlot, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir- each of them quite good by themselves too. It was a typical jugaad (Indian word for functionality oriented innovation) , something intended to be sold in the winery. Our first release itself saw a couple of hundred people turn up and the wine became quite popular with our customers in the winery. We change the blend composition of this wine  every year.

Vaca (Spanish for cow) on the other hand derives its name from the Vaca mountain range which forms the eastern boundary of the Napa valley, the Mayacamas range forming the west. On this 35-40 miles long range we have our Dancing Bear Ranch in the north, Doggwood Vineyard in the south and Suscol Springs Vineyard further southwards. We made red Bordeaux style blends from these three vineyards with an aim to show off the potential of the Vaca range since not many wineries have these many vineyards on that range.

On a somewhat similar thought, we also introduced a wine in 2012 called Guajolote (Spanish for wild turkey pronounced Gua-ho-lotey) which comes from our vineyard populated with lots of wild turkey. It is a blend of five varietals viz. Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

(L-R) Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Rs. 9440, Sauvignon Blanc, Rs. 5990 and Cabernet Sauvignon Rs. 13410

When we talk of varietal blends in the ‘new world’ , does it imply that the “new world” wines are eventually going the “old world” way? Something also highlighted by the Bordeaux style blends called “Meritage” in the US.

The phenomenon of Meritage  started well but faded away gradually. Nevertheless, we have seen several red, as well as white  in the US  fuelled primarily by the demand generated by Gen X-ers and millennials, who are interested in experimenting with newer wines. As a contrast, the baby boomer generation who started drinking wine 40 to 50 years ago, has been more inclined towards varietal wines.

Speaking of drinking demographies, do you find any similarities between a wine drinker in the US with his/her counterpart in India?

Much like India, US wasn’t essentially a wine drinking nation. There are many similarities in the evolution of wine  in both nations- only difference being the time horizon.

In the present day US, baby boomers (my generation) are more stable about their wine choices and are moving up the quality ladder. Gen X-ers are transitioning from spirits to wine as well as craft beers, which are growing like crazy. Millennials on the other hand are experimenting with a lot of different things. My impression is that as one is getting older, he/she is more inclined towards wine than spirits.

The other interesting aspect is that while baby boomers had to learn about wine, later generations have grown up with wine on the table, making it an important part of the culture. This is how both The US and India are learning wine and going along.

Dinner with Bruce Cakebread

Chances are, you would have heard of Sassicaia before delving on Tenuta San Guido. Cult brand names often tend to surpass their parentage like this Super Tuscan wine which is a hallmark of finesse , having achieved such fame in a relatively short period as compared to most wines of similar pedigree.

It was hence a matter of privilege for me when I was invited to meet Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, the third generation of Tenuta San Guido (TSG) one of the most famous wine estates from Italy. Popularly known as “The Princess of Sassicaia” Priscilla arrived in New Delhi as part of her three city itinerary  to familiarize herself with the Indian market. My place of privilege came courtesy an invitation by Madhulika Bhattacharya aka Madame LaCave, owner of Delhi’s niche wine store La Cave that stocks TSG wines imported in India by their parent company Brindco.

About Tenuta San Guido

What started in 1948 as an experiment, led way to establishing the phenomenon called Super Tuscans i.e. wines from Tuscany made with classic Bordeaux varietals. Tenuta San Guido was the one to start it all when Priscilla’s grandfather Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, convinced about the workability of such wines in Tuscany against the prevailing local sentiment (which saw nothing beyond native Tuscan varietals) planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines in his property which he discerned, had a stony terroir similar to Graves, Bordeaux. Seeds-or rather vines- were planted for one of the greatest wines that the world knows of today. However, in the initial years, Mario’s path was stony like his terroir- taking him a good 20 years+ to commercialise his wine in 1968. Thus was born Sassicaia – a name that implies “stony ground” in Italian.

Sassicaia is the only Italian DOC (DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia), contained within a vineyard.

My Conversation with Priscilla

Priscilla was the chief host at a lunch with her wines at Le Cirque restaurant in Hotel Leela Palace New Delhi. Arriving a little in advance, I seized the precious opportunity of a conversation with her at peace. The terrace on the 10th floor of Leela Palace served as the perfect lieu de rencontre for our conversation even as the preparations for the upcoming lunch picked up frenetic pace indoors.

Me: Welcome to India. Is this your first visit to the country?
Priscilla Incisa (PI): Thank you! Technically this is my second visit to India since I also came to Mumbai in 2006, just for a day. However I do not count that as a real visit, having flown back after attending a dinner. This time it is much more deliberate with my agenda in three Indian cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaluru).

Me: Any major differences that you notice in the country in general?
PI: Since I was only in Mumbai last time, I can only talk of differences related to that city. I notice an ongoing construction boom and much more cleanliness as compared to what I saw during my last visit.

Me: What brings you to India this time?
PI: I have arrived with the aim of developing a closer liaison with Brindco- our partner of 10 years in country . To see how they work and to get an understanding of their new initiative to develop retail with the La Cave initiative. I would also like to assess the direction in which we are progressing and the ways and means to develop the market in future.

Me: Given the current low volumes of wine consumption in India as opposed to other markets you may be exporting to, when do you think that the Indian market will achieve sizeable proportion for your wines?
PI: It is common knowledge that the major problem for a wine exporter to India is the prevalent high taxes. If these come down to a reasonable level, I think the market holds a lot of promise for wine producers even if they are able to tap a tiny market size. That holds true for us as well.

Me: What is the volume of your current export to India?
PI: Currently we are exporting around 5000 bottles annually to India (total annual production of TSG is just around 2,00,000 bottles). The wines exported to India currently constitute two out of our three labels viz. Sassicaia and Guidalberto. We are also discussing with Brindco to bring in our third label called Le Difese.

Me: I am intrigued as to why there is no white wine in your portfolio, more so when  winemakers some even from outside Tuscany are making  excellent white wines in Bolgheri. Would you by any chance be thinking on including a white wine in your portfolio?
PI: If you look at our history, Sassicaia started out as a house wine to become commercial only in 1968. It took us decades to start producing our next wine Guidalberto in 2000 and the third wine La Defese in 2002.
I do not foresee us producing a white wine in the near future as we would rather like to consolidate our portfolio keeping in mind the onerous responsibility that we carry concerning these wines.

Apart from producing wines we engage in traditional agriculture and conserving the bio diversity of our holdings, a part of which is also Italy’s first private nature preserve managed in association with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of which my grandfather was the first president in Italy.

Me: Tell me more about the natural preserve and its tangible benefit to your vineyards,
PI: My grandfather Mario had dedicated 500 hectares out of his 2500 hectares property for agriculture and wildlife preservation which has finally emerged as the Bolgheri Bird Sanctuary. In winters certain parts in this area get flooded with rainwater where migratory birds make a stopover. There are also wild animals like boars and deers in the preserve. Going inwards from sea, we have our stud farms in the plains and further inwards the vineyards towards the hills. This complete ecosystem stretches 13 kms from sea to the hills. Around the vineyards we have olive trees that provide shade to the vines during hot days and help maintaining humidity in the nights. All this bio diversity helps in making our terroir naturally sustainable and regenerative.

Me: What is your impression of Indian wines- did you get to taste some on this trip?
PI: (Smiles) Oh yes! We had this wonderful lunch in Bangalore where I had the opportunity to sample two Indian wines – KRSMA Cabernet Sauvignon and Fratelli MS White. I was pretty impressed with KRSMA , which invited my interest particularly with reference to our mainstay being Cabernet wines.

Me: What kind of Indian food in your opinion will go best with your wines?
PI: At the Bangalore lunch I mentioned before, there was some exciting Indian cuisine prepared by Indian chef Osama Jalali who I was told, travels with his family to different parts of India to prepare ancient recipes dating back to the 16th century. His use of basic Indian spices like black pepper make the food flavourful yet mild on the palate. I think that Indian food which is not too spicy will be good to pair with our wines , considering that we produce only reds.

Me: Which other wines would you drink when not drinking your own wines?
PI: It is not easy to answer. I like to drink white wines from Northern Italy particularly from Trentino. We (TSG) are actually spoilt for choices by virtue of being part of Primum Familiae Vini (an association of prestigious 12 wine producers of the world) where members exchange wines among themselves during Christmas. Hence I share with my family wines like Mouton Rothschild, Vega Sicilia and many similar delightful wines on a regular basis. When not drinking Cabernet wines, I would prefer a good Pinot Noir for company.

Me: Lastly, what is your typical day at work in Italy?
PI: I live in Milano with my husband who is of German origin, and two school going kids. When in Milano, my work is mostly on the computer, writing emails etc. However, most of my time is spent travelling around the world as my family’s representative to maintain relations with our market. Between these trips and Milano, I very often go to Bolgheri on the days when the office is open where my father Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta manages the daily affairs.

Wines at the Lunch

15 November 2016

The past few weeks on Indian wine scenario were dominated by the hustle-bustle of one event- The Fine Wine Affair (TFWA). Organized by La Cave- a well appointed wine and spirits store in Delhi and Hotel Oberoi Gurgaon, the event was first of it’s kind in India with a galactic offering of hundred wines from eight countries. Subscribers could choose any 10 wines of their liking  and sample them alongside the gourmet pairings on offer.  TFWA promised to be a wine lover’s delight and surely lived up to the expectations, as I discovered during my visit to the fair. Here’s looking at the ten top reasons that made the event a raging hit:

#1. The Range

That the offering was of 100 wines from 8 countries was already exciting, but it was the range of wines that upped the event’s USP. Included were several premium wines which would otherwise cost a bomb in  restaurants or even in retail for the lack of option to sample them by the glass. Here you could sample a Barolo from Marchesi di Barolo, a Sharis from Livio Felluga, Champagnes Bollinger, Louis Roederer and many others, all under one roof.

#2. The Price

The rendezvous was available to subscribers in four time slots of two hours each. The timings were 12 to 2 pm,from 2.30 to 4.30 pm, 5 to 7 pm and 7.30 to 9.30 pm. The day/night slots were priced all inclusively at Rs. 1500.00 and Rs. 2000.00 per person respectively. With the same range of wines available in all slots, the deal was a steal,  considering that such a bouquet of wines in tasting measure is not available elsewhere in India.

#3. The Market Availability

All the wines on offer at the event are available in major cities in the Indian market, given  La Cave’s affiliation with the country’s most prominent wine importer, Brindco. One can easily revisit a wine that he may have liked in the Fair,simply by buying it from retail or visiting a restaurant serving it. This aspect projected the Fair as being meaningful rather than a silo-ed exercise.

#4. The Backing

La Cave’s backward integration with Brindco not only ensured a vast repertoire of wines, it also ensured optimal quality of service due to the entire supply chain being in their control. It translated into the guests savouring the wines at their best.

#5. The Timing

Oct-Dec are the most pleasant months in India not only weather wise but also due to the festive season that starts from Navratris and extends till the New Year. TFWA was conducted on the weekend immediately after the festival of Dussehra when the festive fervor was at a high. Good attendance was a logical payoff of this timing.

#6. The Preliminaries

Aided with an appealing social media  outreach, strategically embellished with details of premium wines in their historical perspective, the organizers were successful in attracting the right kind of audience to the Fair. It meant that only the audience who could appreciate the offerings, actually subscribed to the event, resulting in a high customer satisfaction.

#7. The Limited Gathering

With the maximum number of tickets for a particular slot restricted to a hundred, the venue was never overcrowded. Apart from guest comfort, it facilitated calibrating  service requirements by the organizers. Honouring  timings for the respective slots  also ensured that the attendees did not have to wait even for a minute to avail the services ready for them in pristine glory.

#8. The Goodwill

TFWA was not the first consumer outreach by  Madhulika Bhattacharya aka Madame LaCave. Ever since she opened the store last year, she has been conducting a string of thematic wine dinners called “Unwined by La Cave” engaging wine lovers in world class wine sessions. The goodwill generated by such proactive consumer engagements ensured that TFWA had a reasonable prospective audience even before its announcement.

#9. The Masterclasses

The value added option of attending masterclasses conducted by respective producer representatives who arrived specially for TFWA, enhanced the charm of the offering. These masterclasses could be subscribed in advance by paying an additional Rs. 500.00 per person and afforded the participants a deeper look into the concerned wineries/regions.Hence the Fair also served as a fast track knowledge acquisition platform.

#10.  The Effusive Charm of Madame LaCave

Lastly but most significantly, it was Madame LaCave all the way as TFWA was entirely her brainchild. Madhulika Bhattacharya aka Madame LaCave was totally hands-on with the event, being on toes all three days, morning till evening- devoting personal attention to guests, leading a cohesive team and getting behind the counters every once in a while. It was a herculean effort in the Indian scenario and she pulled it off well.

Wine lovers in India are already thirsting for more!

Innovation and enthusiasm go hand in hand. It is only the enthused who innovate. Conversely, innovation  generates further enthusiasm.

Over the past one month I attended a series of innovative wine sessions called ‘unwined’ which look at breaking the stereotypes often associated with wine tastings. The sessions were hosted by Madhulika Bhattacharya a.k.a. Madame La Cave, the prolific owner of La Cave – the best wine store of current times  in New Delhi. Just a day back I attended an ‘unwined’ dinner with wines from Castello Banfi – the famed producer from Tuscany. (If you would like to know more about La Cave, click here to read my article on the store, published in vino india)

As the name suggests, ‘Unwined by La Cave’ are wine tastings/dinners that urge wine lovers to approach the tastings in a care-free manner with the sole focus of unwinding around wine. Hence there is no dress code, expectations of  technical jargon or anybody treated more equal than others.

But the most appealing aspect of these sessions is Madhulika’s endeavour to time them with the visits of respective winery representatives, resulting in first hand interaction between producers and end consumers. For the Banfi dinner, Guillaume Blanchard, Regional Manager Banfi, South East Asia did the honours.

Coming back to the innovation theme, while I was sharing a pictorial of the Banfi dinner on my official Facebook page ‘Colonel Joe’ , I realised that we keep duplicating content on the World Wide Web on different platforms to reach different sets of audience. What if the same content could be reused across platforms with a little context tailoring relevant to each? It would  result not only  in a faster dissemination of information but also spare the planet some unnecessary carbon emissions arising from data duplication and computing resources. The idea of “Quick Posts” on Guns 2 Gewurztraminer was born.

In this inaugural quick post, I am sharing below, the aforesaid  FB pictorial of the Banfi dinner. Hope it will convey the essence of the event . For later quick posts, I visualise having feed from multiple channels in a single blog post.

Click on any photo start viewing the album.

https://www.facebook.com/ravikjoe/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1266231036725273

Enjoy and do share your feedback in the comments space below.

Cheers, Santé and Salud!