Wine

New Delhi recently experienced the rich heritage of Georgian wine as two renowned wineries, GWS, and Château Mukhrani, presented an exquisite selection of wines from Georgia, a country that is often celebrated as the birthplace of wine.

The exclusive tasting event, held at Captain’s Cellar in The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, brought together a select group of wine connoisseurs and importers who sampled eight unique wines from the two wineries under the umbrella of Marussia Beverages Group, an international producer and distributor of wines, sakes, and spirits.

Mikheil Kobaladze, Head of Export Sales, Marussia Beverages led the tasting, along with Mariam Dzotsenidze, Export Sales Manager, Chateau Mukhrani. H.E. Vakhtang Jaoshvili, the Ambassador of Georgia hosted the evening, personally welcoming all the guests at the tasting.

Georgian Wine: A Timeless Tradition

Georgia’s winemaking history stretches back over 8,000 years, earning the country the title “Cradle of Wine“. Archaeological evidence points to the first cultivated grapevines and wine production originating in this region. Central to this heritage is the Qvevri method, an ancient winemaking technique using large, egg-shaped clay vessels buried underground that is also recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Among the key wine regions of Georgia are:

Kakheti: The heartland of Georgian winemaking, known for its dry and semi-sweet wines, with varieties like Saperavi and Rkatsiteli thriving here.
Kartli: Home to innovative wineries like Château Mukhrani, this region’s cool climate and limestone-rich soils are perfect for balanced, complex wines.
Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi: Nestled in the western part of the country, these regions are known for lighter, aromatic wines and unique varieties like Tsolikouri.
Adjara: A rising star in the Georgian wine scene, with its subtropical climate lending a unique character to its wines.

About the participating wineries

GWS

Established in 1993, the Kakheti-based GWS winery is renowned for its premium wines made from indigenous grape varieties like Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, and Goruli Mtsvane. They are one of the largest wine companies in Georgia, owning 400 hectares of vineyards and producing 3.5 million bottles annually, mostly with its own grapes. Their Tamada brand is one of Georgia’s first internationally recognized wine brands available in 25 countries. It is named after the Georgian toastmaster Tamada, celebrating Georgia’s traditional feast culture.

Château Mukhrani:

Founded in 1878 by Prince Ivane Bagrationi who introduced the château concept to Georgia after his studies in Bordeaux and Champagne, Château Mukhrani combines royal heritage with cutting-edge winemaking. Located in the Kartli region, the estate’s terroir is rich in sandy clay, limestone, and stony gravel, creating wines of remarkable complexity and elegance.

Tasting sequence at the event

Goruli Mtsvane Dry White 2023 (Château Mukhrani)

Grapes: Goruli Mtsvane 85%, Chinuri 15%.

In my opinion, this wine’s character lies somewhere between a crisp Pinot Grigio and a buttery Chardonnay.

Tamada Mtsvane Dry White 2022 (GWS)

Grapes: 100% Mtsvane Kakhuri.

A complex light-medium-bodied wine that is well suited for gourmet pairings.

Secret Collection Dry White 2020 (Château Mukhrani)

Grapes: Rkatsiteli 46%, Chardonnay 33%, Sauvignon Blanc 12%, Goruli Mtsvane 7%, Muscat 2%.

An interesting blend of Georgian and international grape varietals. This is a refreshing “aperitif” wine that you would want to linger with.

Qvevri Dry White 2019 (Château Mukhrani)

Grapes: Rkatsiteli 70%, Goruli Mtsvane 30%.

The heritage aspect of Georgian winemaking is fully demonstrated in this delightful wine. It could easily be called the “Pride of Georgia”.

Tamada Saperavi Dry Red 2021 (GWS)

Grape: 100% Saperavi.

This wine represents the uniqueness of Georgia’s most famous red grape- Saperavi.

Secret Collection Dry Red 2019 (Château Mukhrani)

Grapes: Saperavi 51%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, Syrah 10%, Petit Verdot 9%.

Another teeth-staining powerhouse wine that aptly represents the internationalization of Georgian wines.

Reserve Royal Shavkapito Dry Red 2019 (Château Mukhrani)

Grape: 100% Shavkapito.

Tamada Grand Reserve Dry Red 2017 (GWS)

Grape: 100% Saperavi.

---

Georgian Wine Prospects in India

The Georgian wine-tasting event showcased the country’s remarkable winemaking heritage. From the bold reds of Saperavi to the delicate whites of Goruli Mtsvane, each bottle offered a sensory journey through Georgia’s rich culture and history. As Indian consumers have become increasingly wine-savvy over the past two decades, there is significant potential to introduce and explore new wines. However, addressing challenges such as pricing, consumer education, and a commitment to a long-term strategy will be crucial to establishing a foothold in the Indian wine market.

More Images from the Georgian Wine Tasting

Summer is upon us yet again and so is the quest for finding respite from the heat. While natural hydration with water can have no parallels, a myriad of drinks are available out there to stir up the bien vivre during this season. In this post, I am listing some of my recommended wines and Japanese sake to enjoy this summer. The collection draws from my personal experiences and their current availability in India.

But before we start, a gentle reminder:

---

Alcohol is a known diuretic, i.e. it draws water out from your body resulting in dehydration. Hence be sure to limit your intake of alcohol and space your drinks with servings of water especially during summer. It is important to remain adequately hydrated at all times. Enjoy safely!

---

(All prices ex Delhi unless stated otherwise).

Sparkling Wines

White wines

Rosé Wines

Red Wines

Japanese Sake

Bouncing back from adversity makes for inspiring stories and Namratha Prashanth’s is no different. From an abused housewife in her thirties to a successful wine entrepreneur in the “Mecca of wine” Bordeaux, Namratha has indeed come a long way- her journey continuing to mark newer milestones.

If I attempt to narrate Namratha’s story in its entirety, it would outrun the real estate of this post. Hence, I would like to focus more on her wine pursuits. For those interested in further details, listening to the podcast at the end of this post is recommended.

My first meeting with Namratha

I met Namratha first at Vinexpo Delhi, 2022 though we had been connected on social media for long. I was at the Expo as an exhibitor and she came visiting from Bordeaux. The initial meeting itself inspired me enough to have a private sitting with her for an undivided conversation. Since both of us had tight schedules, I thought it best to invite her home for a quick lunch while she was on her way to the airport to fly back. My home being reasonably near to the airport made things convenient.

Family’s advice that led Namratha to wine

At the time when Namratha had to restart her life from scratch, she had very little work experience in two short stints, albeit with reputable organizations. In her hour of crisis, her parental family stood firmly by her, with her sister motivating Namratha to reboot her life by going abroad and pursuing a profession aligned with her passion.

Namratha’s passion happened to lie in language, wine, and food (thanks to her hospitality background). Heeding her sister’s advice, she moved to Bordeaux, France to pursue a Wine MBA course at INSEEC (Institut des Hautes Études Economiques et Commerciales). The decision acted as the first “bud-break” of her wine journey.

Living in a wine estate can have its challenges too

After a month at the wine school, Namratha interned at Château Siran in the Margaux appellation as required by the course curriculum. She secured the spot for managing dégustation visits at the estate, thanks to her bilingual proficiency in English and French.

The job required her to live in the 88-hectare estate, which far from being ‘romantic’ (as most wine lovers may visualise), was scary during the nights when Namratha found herself all alone in the wide expanse. It took almost three months for her to overcome the fear of living alone but she utilised her time well, watching online wine videos, including those by Michael Fagan of the famed LCBO Discover Series. Michael Fagan would later help Namratha to find inroads into the Canadian market.

However, Namratha’s challenges were far from abating. A life-threatening crisis awaited her in the form of a car crash while she was in her fifth month of internship at Château Siran. She met with the accident while on her way to Spain with four other people. The horrific accident at 130 kmph flung her violently from the rear to the windscreen, but fortunately, she survived the crash with minor injuries. This providential escape only strengthened her conviction of having a special purpose to fulfil in life.

The “vinification” of passion with Solicantus

2018 turned out to be a defining year for Namratha when during Vinexpo Paris she met Corrine, a wine estate owner in Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. The two ladies hit it off instantly, so much so, that Corrine ended up inviting Namratha to visit her estate.

The acquaintance further developed into a partnership between the two to produce Namratha’s label of wine called Solicantus which was conceptualized after a rigorous four-month research into the aspirations of their target consumer.

Solicantus- A deep-rooted significance

Solicantus in Latin means “Melody of the Soil” (Soli= Soil, Cantus= Melody). The wine’s philosophy is amplified on the label with the tagline “Melodie du Sol”. The graphics on the Solicantus wine’s label are inspired by the famed Spanish artist Salvador Dali’s work which typically includes accented lines.

Namratha’s idea for Solicantus was to bring out a red and a white wine for gifting “by wine lovers to wine lovers” to celebrate each day of life.

The Red version of Solicantus is a blend of Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec grapes produced in Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, while the White version is a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle produced in the Entre Deux Mers appellation. Both these wines are marketed by Namratha’s wine négociant company Wine Equation.

Apart from her wines, Namratha also markets other wines like Château La Caussade, a generic Bordeaux red wine.

Namratha’s idea for Solicantus was to bring out a red and a white wine for gifting by wine lovers to wine lovers to celebrate each day of life.

Namratha explains the Solicantus graphics as depicting the journey of wine in the vat. The darker part of the label depicts the “must” (fermenting grape mash) which goes on to become a clear wine towards the end of the cycle. There is a great deal of artistry in Solicantus and it’s also noteworthy that Jérome, the 10th-generation winemaker who produces her white wine, is himself an artist too!

Both the Solicantus wines are being sold in France and also exported to Belgium, India, Maldives, and most recently Canada where they are available across 104 LCBO stores.

In India, Solicantus wines are imported by Sonarys Co-Brands Pvt Ltd. and are presently available in Mumbai and Bengaluru at ₹ 6960 and ₹ 6520 respectively.

From Cannes to Canada and beyond

Reaching out to the clientele is an indispensable part of any business and it is even more relevant in the wine business where stories form an integral part of the exercise. Namratha has been quite proactive on this front, be it connecting with the glitterati at the Cannes film festival or addressing hospitality student gatherings like the Rootstock symposium in the George Brown College Canada, where incidentally she was invited by her idol Michael Fagan whose wine videos had a great influence during her Château Siran days. Michael also introduced her to the Cru Wine Merchants in Canada, who imported her wines to that country, now listed in restaurants in Toronto and Ottawa.

Today, as Namratha continues to chart her wine journey, she truly exemplifies the adage- “Tough times never last, but tough people do”.

Sidenote: Solicantus Rouge was served by me at a wine dinner in Japan

During my trip to Sake breweries in Japan last year (2023), Solicantus happened to be one of the wines served by me at a paired dinner for a group of Japanese Sake brewers in the beautiful city of Kurayoshi in the Tottori Prefecture.

The wine was graciously gifted to me by Namratha herself when she visited my place in Delhi as narrated above. The other wines at the dinner being Indian, it was interesting to have a French wine produced by an Indian in the overall portfolio.

I guess the smiles in the photo above could inspire Namratha to contemplate exporting to Japan as well.

Amen to that!

External Podcast Link :

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/matt-talks-wine-stuff-with-interesting-people/id1438005919

Icons of any vocation inspire generations to come. Miguel A Torres is one such personality of the wine world. The 4th generation head of Torres wines. that is credited with reviving the fortunes of wine in Catalunya, is known universally for his path breaking service to the wine cause. Among other achievements, his initiatives on sustainability have sensitised winemakers across the world to adopt practices that have since become benchmarks for preserving our natural resources for future generations.

Having been recognized through various awards over the years (see graphic below), it was just a matter of time that Miguel A Torres received a Lifetime Achievement Award. The moment came during Vinexpo 17 when the award was introduced by Patrick Schmitt MW, editor-in-chief of the Drinks Business and presented by Jane Masters MW, chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Background pic: //charliemahoney.photoshelter.com

The Lifetime Achievement Award, by the Institute of Masters of Wine and the Drinks Business magazine, recognises wine personalities for their contribution to the world of wine during their whole career span. The previous recipients of this award are Robert Mondavi (2005), Marchese Piero Antinori (2007), Jean-Michel Cazes (2011) Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (2013), and Hugh Johnson OBE (2015).

Apart from expressing gratitude to the award conferring agencies, Mr. Torres acknowledged the contribution of the complete Torres family (professional as well as personal) towards this singular honour:

I especially would like to highlight the extraordinary work, effort and dedication of our worldwide Torres team and my family. They all actually made it possible where we stand today as a winery. But allow me to give a very special thank you to my wife Waltraud, who helped build our winery (and the German market!) and raise our three children – Anna, Mireia and Miguel – and of course my sister Marimar and my brother Juan-Maria.

The news of Miguel A Torres being conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award, brought back memories of my visit to Catalunya in 2014. It was then that this grand homme of wine, even though on a tour to Germany, took the trouble of taking a flight back just to share a meal with me and my fellow wine journalist from India.

Apart from Mr. Torres’ humility flooring us at the outset, we silently admired his  leadership persona, even as the afternoon progressed methodically with minimal directions passed around.  His motivated staff with happy faces and  “spring in the step” silently spoke of the work culture that makes Torres one of the most respected wine companies of the world.

Not to miss out on the opportunity, I had arrived prepared for my one-on-one conversation with the “czar of wine” requested earlier to his office. The interaction remains as one of my top cherished experiences of the wine world.

Note: Since this interview happened in 2014 and published for the first time in 2015, a couple of dated elements have been updated by me at the relevant places(text in italics). However, most of the interview is timeless.

Q: Congratulations on Torres being adjudged the Most Admired Wine Brand of the World by Drinks International magazine. What is your next milestone? (Torres was adjudged the Most Admired Wine Brand for two consecutive years- 2013 and 2014 and now in 2017 for the third time).

A: Thank you, any recognition coming our way is obviously delightful but we have consciously never been vying for titles. It also remains a fact that in the previous years, somebody else received this honour, and in the coming years, it may well belong to someone else. What is important for us is to sincerely keep doing what we are best at and that will be our effort.

Q: I have seen the “holy trinity” of Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel lo grapes in your estates. Yet, I am intrigued why Torres has not thought of producing Cava?

A: To tell you frankly, the first batch of Cava is ageing in our cellars as we talk. The project is being closely supervised by my daughter, Mireia, who has crafted a super-premium wine. We have waited all these years, as we wanted to adequately research the optimum production methods, even though we have already gained quite some experience in Chile, making the rosé sparkling “Santa Digna Estelado” from the País varietal.

Q: We are in the Mas Rabell estate, and in the vineyards I saw some varietals that do not have a name but a number. Could you please elaborate on that?

A: We have been consciously trying to revive many of the native Catalan grape varietals that have been lost into oblivion over a period of time on various accounts. They have a number, because they most probably never had a name. The collection you saw forms part of a project that we started in the eighties to recuperate “disappeared” Catalan grape varietals, some of which have their provenance in the nineteenth century.

These “disappeared” varietals were actually more or less hidden in nature, often in the middle of nowhere. Mostly, natural barriers like mountains protected them from being attacked by phylloxera for more than a century.

To identify them, we worked together with the Universities in Tarragona and Montpellier to determine whether a “lost” varietal was really unique because sometimes, it could well be that it already existed elsewhere in the world. Until today, we have discovered 32 “lost” varietals in Catalonia, but we have registered only 8 of them, because we believe that these have the potential to make a top quality wine. The latest “lost” varietal, “Querol”, was named after the municipality where it was found.

Q: International grape varietals being increasingly cultivated in many world regions, including your own vineyards, are these native grape varietals under a threat of extinction?

A: Not at all! On the contrary, since the last thirty years, our priority has been to nurture the native grape varietals irrespective of the international varietals plantings that we also have. The aim is to protect our patrimoine (heritage) which is centuries old and I am determined to see that it is handed down to the next generations.

Q: Torres seems to emphasize sustainability. What is your vision on this and how is it implemented?

A: (Gestures the Maître to fetch something) The whole idea is to be a nurturing custodian to the valuable resources at our disposal. We want to pass these on to the next generations – if not augmented then at least in an undepleted state. At the same time we need to be compassionate enough to give something back to the society in the present day.

(The Maître arrives with a mounted graphic) This is our company’s DNA, describing what makes us tick as a winery, as a company. The 8 core elements are People – Ecology – Fair Trade – Giving Back to Society – Clients – R&D – Closeness to End Consumers and a Close Knit Family Company, which are self-explanatory.

You might have noticed these in some form or the other during your visit, but “Giving Back to Society” is something that I will explain. Each year we are participating in numerous social projects around the world to create better living conditions for underprivileged women and children in our society. This is through the Miguel Torres Foundation which was created in 1986 and is presided my wife, Waltraud Maczassek Torres.

In Guadalajara, Mexico we just laid the first stone for a refuge home for neglected and “at risk” girls, with a contribution of €275,000. In Anantpur, India we have contributed towards education and housing for children, and created a home for abandoned women.

Q: The Torres family revived the wine fortunes of Penedès, post phylloxera and the world wars. And boldly grew their footprint into other Spanish wine regions and overseas. Can we expect to see more expansion?

A: Internationally we have had vineyards in Chile and the US since long. In Chile, we have recently expanded to the southern part with a 200 hectare estate with a nearby river assuring water supply in Itata, which is very well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. Chile has afavourable climate for producing organic wines as the region does not get rains in the summer, hence the absence of many vine diseases. So we are betting very strongly on Chile, and the project is being overseen by my son, Miguel Torres Maczassek. (In the current day, Miguel Torres Maczassek has taken charge of the overall functioning of Torres S.A. while Miguel A Torres has assumed an advisory role).

Speaking of Spain, we have vineyards in the Denominación de Origen (denominated origins) of Penedès, Conca de Barbera, Priorat, Jumilla and Costers del Segre. Our idea is to represent the best wine areas of Spain, bringing out the uniqueness of each region. We have just bought the winery which we had hired to produce our Verdeo wine from Verdejo varietal in Rueda. In Rias Baixas in the Galicia region, my daughter Mireia, is progressing very well with our project of Albariño wine called “Pazo das Bruxas“.

Q: You have been doing business in India since 2001 and have a unique partnership with Prestige Wines & Spirits. The Indian wine industry has recently seen some international giants like Moët Hennessey set up local ventures. Could we possibly expect to see a Torres footprint in India?

A: The fact that every state of India has different rules related to the alcohol trade is a major hindrance, and maybe it is time to change to promote healthy competition that will eventually benefit the local wine industry. It is difficult to make long-term predictions, but the basic premise of our production philosophy is “Focus“. We prefer to stay committed to the regions where we are already present. We would not want to start producing wines in every possible region of the world. Even within Spain, we will not venture into the most famous fortified wine, Sherry.

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!

This summer,  I was quite fortunate to be in Buttrio, a commune in Udine, a major province of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy during the period when their regional wine fair was on. It was the perfect occasion to sample a host of wines from the Friulian region under a single roof which would otherwise not be possible for a random visitor on a tight itinerary. It was also a moment when I silently  wished to witness such wine fairs in India with a carnival like atmosphere, where you just enjoy the wines in a carefree manner, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere,  without having to worry about taking notes etc.

Surprisingly, my wish came true a bit sooner than I  had imagined. To top it, not only with wines but spirits as well!  The occasion was “Globe in a Glass Roadshow 2016” in New Delhi organized by Sula Selections, the import arm of Sula Vineyards, India’s largest winemaker. The event  showcased Sula’s import offerings  supplemented by their domestic portfolio “under one roof”- in this case the big blue sky.

The Event

The Delhi fixture of Sula’s roadshow was the first in the series of three- the other two to be held in Bangalore on 5th and Mumbai on 7th Oct 16.  As I publish this piece, the Bangalore version is likely to be in its full bloom. Leading wine and spirit producers from different corners of the world have joined hands with Sula for these day-long events, offering guests  the opportunity to sample Wines, Liqueurs, Cognac, Tequila, Brandy and more while meeting the people behind the brands.

For the Delhi version, the venue was  ‘Lodi – The Garden Restaurant’ located in the serene precincts of one of the greenest spots of the Indian capital. The event truly resembled a carnival, with music and food adding to the charm of the liquid pleasures while people from different industries, diplomats, industry leaders and socialites mingled to strike conversations while they enjoyed the wide range of offerings.

The Offerings

Almost the entire Sula Selections portfolio was showcased at the event- only exceptions being their labels which are not registered in Delhi State. Guests could sample Mud House from New Zealand, Hardys Australia, Trapiche Argentina, Cono Sur Chile, Kumala South Africa, Antica Sambuca, Remy Martin Cognac and St Remy Brandy France, Ruffino Italy, Cointreau France, Don Alejandro Tequila Mexico, Mount Gay Rum Barbados, , Volare Italy, Pitu Cachaça Brazil, Bouchard Aîné  & Fils France, and Le Grand Noir France.

A distinct feature of the event was cocktails made exclusively from Sula’s spirits brands which silently conveyed the versatility of their portfolio capable of whipping up famed cocktails like Side Car, Mimosa, Mai Tai, – and their signature Cointreaupolitan (a Cosmopolitan sans vodka) entirely on their own. It also afforded them to display the main ingredients of the respective cocktails through their brand logos facilitating a strong consumer recall (image below).

The Genesis

Speaking on the occasion, Noi Cecilia Oldne, VP – Marketing & Global Brand Ambassador at Sula Vineyards, said “This tour was put together for our valued customers, bringing wines and spirits produced or imported by Sula, and the people behind the brands all under one roof.  Sula is today not only the leading wine producer in India but also one of the top wine and spirits importers. This was a great opportunity for Sula, suppliers and customers to engage.”

That India is a promising market for Wine has been repeatedly acknowledged by global wine entities through their continuing engagement with the country. With respect to Spirits, India is already the fifth largest consumer in the world and likely to overtake Philippines as  fourth largest by 2017 (source: IWSR report for 2012-2017). It  therefore makes sense for importers in India to develop a diverse portfolio of wines and spirits that meet the aspirations of the world’s fastest growing economy.  A market outreach is essential to keep the sales volumes at a viable business levels and Sula’s roadshow did just that with ingenuity- more significantly considering the restrictions applicable on advertisement and promotion of alcoholic beverages in India.

For wine and spirits lovers the carnival has just begun.

Consider the following real world wine scenarios:

# 1: At a national day celebrations of a major wine producing country, guests are appalled to find warm red wines and unmindful pouring by servers mixing wines in the glasses. In the mêlée, somebody quips that the country might as well  come up with an in situ rosé blend by mixing a red and a white in the glass itself!

# 2: Entertaining a foreign guest at an upmarket fine dining outlet in Lodi Road New Delhi, the guest and I look at each other in disbelief when the steward fills the glass three fourths with the Sancerre we had ordered- prompting me to suggest sharing the already poured measure rather than having the other glass poured.

# 3: A good friend is innocently about to put two ice cubes in a red wine to chill it the same way as he would, a whisky. Only to be stopped by his buddy explaining why it would be better to put the bottle in fridge for some time.

Each of the above scenarios are different yet the subject is common- wine service- an aspect vital to wine enjoyment. None can deny that the level of wine service can make or mar a wine. Imagine an over chilled full bodied red refusing to open up until you have warmed its cockles by cupping the goblet. Or a warmer than permissible white that tastes flabbier when it should be refreshing your palate. In short, service is to wine what a rack is to a pinion!

The Importance of Service in Wine

But why is wine service so fussed about? Why don’t we micro manage service to the same degree with other drinks?

Reasons may be many but to summarise,  we can say that wine has more number of production variables than possibly any other beverage in the world. With approximately 1400 documented wine grape varietals* , the concept of terroir (a collective French term for soil type, micro climate and production methods) and  propensity to evolve even during storage, wine turns out to be a complex entity that requires a little more deliberation than other beverages.

However all these variables do not mean that ultra special skills have to be acquired to serve wine. One can equate learning to serve wine with operating a home gadget. It can be operated  straight out of the box or after taking some time to read the supplied manual to get access to its full functionality. Similarly, wine can well be enjoyed just by  opening the bottle, but it helps if you know how to serve it optimally.

Professionally Speaking

In a professional scenario though, things are not that simple. Bad wine service when speaking professionally can have far reaching implications than meets the eye.  For illustration, let us revisit the first two scenarios in the beginning of this post that fall under the professional domain:

Scenario 1 (National Day)

Being the national day of a country, a good range of wines from that country were offered to the guests amid a vast spread. Since the wine service was pathetically short, the wine savvy chose to switch over to other drinks while others just pulled along. In the aftermath, passionate wine lovers pointed out the glaring mistakes on social media kicking off a stimulating discussion- only to be snubbed by the hosts implying that a gift horse cannot be looked into the mouth! The protests died almost instantaneously lest one landed on the wrong side of the embassy’s goodwill. In this whole development an important lesson was lost- faulty wine service due to poor management and the opportunity cost to the presented brands that did not get a fair chance to be showcased in front of potential clients.

Scenario 2 (Restaurant)

The steward apologized profusely- to be joined by his manager who offered a complimentary dessert to compensate the deficiency in service. Disappointment assuaged, we declined his thoughtful offer and went on with our meal, which eventually turned out to be a good experience- the initial fiasco ignored.

Response is the Key

In each of the above scenarios, the host’s response was the key to salvage or worsen the situation. In the first scenario, the hosts may have felt that in the larger ambit of their national day celebrations, guests needn’t have been critical of the wine service, but they ignored the disservice they did to  the affected brands rather than promoting them- which was their onerous responsibility.   A simple acknowledgement of the lapse, may be on a humorous note, could have put the issue to rest and given the brands a second chance in the eyes of potential customers.

In the second scenario, even though the steward erred initially, the situation was salvaged with an apology and a sincere intent to address the consumer’s concern. Had it not been so, the restaurant might have lost valuable customers.

To conclude, wine service may not be quantum physics  but it does require a certain level of planning and careful execution particularly in the professional context. And above all, a positive attitude to improve things when they indeed go wrong.

As for the third scenario above, the ‘faltering’ friend teasingly went ahead with putting the ice cubes in the wine. Now that is an entirely different equation beyond the realm of wine propriety.

*  Data Source:  Wine Grapes Edition 2013 by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz

Most wine lovers would agree that there are some wines which we meet as if they are well known friends. ‘They’ are quite familiar in terms of behavior, inclinations et al. These are often wines that we have encountered more than once, sometimes in their land of provenance. Torres wines from Spain and Chile are some such wines for me.

Though I had sampled Torres wines several times before visiting their facilities in Catalunya and La Rioja, it was only after my visit that I  became close to them in the real sense. Having  physically seen their vineyards and wineries, meeting their winemakers and sharing lunch with the top man- Miguel A Torres himself (read my interview with Miguel A Torres), I became so  familiar with their labels as to recognize them easily beyond the realm of legibility, with their respective cuvée compositions coming automatically to the mind.

Hence I was quite enthused when Prestige Wines and Spirits, Torres’ importers in India invited me to a dinner with Mireia Prim, the brand’s ambassador responsible for India.  Mireia arrived on a three city tour to conduct trade sessions, interact with consumers and media, as also to get a first hand feel of the Indian wine environment . The rendezvous gave me an excellent opportunity to revisit some of my favourite wines,  and to catch up on friends made during my visit of 2014.

For the uninitiated, Torres S.A. is a prominent Spanish winemaker, widely acclaimed as having single-handedly  revived the fortunes of wine trade in  the Penédes  region. It was these efforts  that led to the region’s recognition as a DO (Denominación de Origen) in 1976 after the Appellation regulations came into effect. The Torres Family has since then ventured much beyond Penédes owning  more than 2,400 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located in Spain apart from the ones in Chile and California. These wines are exported  to more than 160 countries across the world-  including India.

For my meeting with Mireia, I arrived  a little early at  ‘Honk’, the Asian cuisine restaurant at hotel Pullman-Novotel. My deliberation of donning the Torres necktie worked, as she instantly noticed the detail. Knowing further that the tie was gifted to me by none other than Miguel Torres Maczassek, fifth generation of Torres family and General Manager Torres SA during his visit to Delhi last year, she suggested that we click a photo which she could show back home. I obliged readily.

After a brief one-on-one conversation, we moved al fresco to sample the first wines of the evening- Torres De Casta Rosé, which was served around starters as the guests assembled. The engagement continued indoors with an innovatively paired menu called “Spanish Moves on Asian Tongue” curated by the hotel to showcase the compatibility of Torres wines with culinary influences from diverse regions of Asia.  Also, each course was prepared using different cooking methods – from steaming to Robata (Japanese styled grilling), Charsiu ( a Cantonese method to flavor and prepare barbequed food) and likewise. The concept afforded to showcase  the dexterity of  wines in adapting to Asian food.

Wines and their pairings (Prices ex Delhi retail)

Torres De Casta Rosé 2015 (Garnacha+Cariñena+Syrah+Tempranillo)

Price: ₹ 1730.00
Paired with: Assorted Starters

A refreshing Rosé with amazing levels of complexity to go with a range of foods. I liked it particularly  with sushi and assorted skewers doing the rounds.

Torres Viña Esmeralda (Moscatel+Gewurztraminer)

Price: ₹ 1650.00
Paired with Herb and Star Anise Smoked Prawn Har Gow

Viña Esmeralda has been a popular wine in India owing to it’s distinct lychee and melon aromas recognized well in the land. Apart from tropical fruit aromas, the wine has perfumed floral highlights which develop further on the palate into an abundance of flavours.  The wine worked well with the aromatic Har Gow (traditional Cantonese dumplings).

Torres Gran Viña Sol ₹ 1500/- (Chardonnay+Parellada)

Price: ₹ 1500.00
Paired with:  Salmon Robata and Miso Garlic

Another of Torres’ value for money wines considering that some Indian whites are selling at approximately the same price despite the tax advantage! While the Chardonnay gives this wine its crispness, Parellada lends it the aromatics and body. Reason enough  to pair it with the savoury dumplings at this dinner.

Torres Altos Ibéricos Crianza 2012 (100% Tempranillo)

Price: ₹ 2500.00
Paired with: Roast Duck

The last time I enjoyed Altos Ibéricos, was with Vine-Grilled Lamb Chops and Patatas Riojana  in a Spanish countryside grill restaurant with none else than the winemaker for company This time too, the wine was a delight with it’s pairing  of Roast Duck, which had a nice texture to complement the wine’s restrained power.

Mas La Plana 2009 (100% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Price: ₹ 6500.00
Paired with Pork/Chicken/Eggplant Charsiu
Chicken/ Wild Mushroom Lo Mai Gai

Mas La Plana is not only Torres’ Prestige Cuvée, it denotes an outstanding adaptation of an international varietal to local terroir. The wine is a gourmand’s delight, having the depth to accommodate several flavours/textures- maybe  reason why the hotel offered it with two pairings. This full bodied wine with rounded tannins and notes of dark berries, chocolate, vanilla and mint, didn’t disappoint either.

Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro (100% Moscatel)

Price: ₹ 1850.00
Paired with Berry Parfait, Lemon Curd, Raspberry Coulis, Strawberry Sorbet

Floralis Moscatel Oro is my go-to dessert wine for majority of wine dinners that I host in India. Reason? It has all the ingredients desirable of a dessert wine- balance, spiciness and long finish, made more attractive with a favourable price as compared to equivalent dessert wines. The sweet and sour components of the dessert integrated seamlessly with the complex flavor profile of the wine.

Sumit Sehgal, CEO Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd informed me that they periodically conduct such sessions to highlight their wines’ compatibility with different types of cuisine. The arrival of Brand Ambassadors to connect with trade and consumers, on one hand emphasizes the brand’s seriousness towards the visited markets and on the other, gives them feedback to carry out course correction if any.

Going by the response at the dinner, the Torres Wine Armada appears well on course!

Awards mean recognition. We know that humans crave recognition. Abraham Maslow’s theory defines such an orientation  as ‘esteem need’ wherein a person, who has already achieved physical, security and social needs, aspires to be acknowledged for his/her efforts. No wonder we have awards associated with virtually every sphere of life. At the highest level they come as  Nobel prizes, Grammys, Emmys, Oscars and the list goes on endlesssly into every possible area of expertise.

It was hence logical that the Indian wine industry- a comparatively nascent one-  would come up with its own set of awards sooner than later. It finally happened this year with delWine Excellence (dWE) awards.  The awards are the  outcome of collaboration between three entities -‘delWine’, an e-newsletter on wine,  ‘Indian Wine Academy’, an organisation that promotes wine (both founded by noted wine personality Subhash Arora) and ‘Indian Restaurant Spy’, a food and wine blog by renowned journalist Sourish Bhattacharyya. Supported by India’s first and only Master of Wine Sonal Holland who is also co-chair on the jury and Rifaquat Ali Khan Mirza, an eminent hospitality professional, dWE awards have provided the initial spark to accredit wine professionals across the country for their efforts with requisite deliberation. The awards are envisioned to be held in two stages, one each  in Delhi and Mumbai- India’s major wine hubs.

According to Subhash Arora, the primary consideration for holding these awards at two places is to do full justice to hotels and restaurants engaged in wine service in both these cities. “To make the awards more interesting, we have incorporated different award categories on the national level as well” Arora adds.

The Inaugural Event

The inaugural Delhi-National Capital Region round of dWE awards was held on September 14, 2016 , at the Peacock Ballroom of Hotel Pullman New Delhi Aerocity. The awards ceremony was preceded by  a Wines of the World (WOW) showcase, where guests had the opportunity to sample more than 120 wines, Indian as well as international. The engagement also offered good networking opportunity, not otherwise feasible  at such a scale. Ensuite, the awards ceremony was conducted around a sit-down wine-paired dinner for 300 wine professionals, journalists and connoisseurs, admirably managed by Team Pullman  amid an exuberantly circulating audience.

With an eminent jury in place, the objectivity associated with the awards was largely established. However there were hits and misses related to expectations- a normal phenomenon in any competitive environment. Interestingly, there was a tie for the Jury Awards for Best Sommelier of the Year (Five-Star Hotel) and the Popular Perception Award for Best Importer. Also, Editor’s Choice Award for the Best Value for Money Wine List (Five Star Hotel) was not given away because the organizers felt that  Five-Star hotels ought to transfer the price benefit  of duty free imports to the consumer before being considered for such an award.

The Winners

The final list of winners is summarized in the image given below . Please feel free to download and share. Alternately, click here to view and  download as high resolution PDF.

The Road Ahead

delWine Excellence awards have come as a welcome development on the Indian winescape. Such initiatives are  bound to stimulate the wine market in the country towards refinement in wine quality and service levels. Speaking about immediate plans after the inaugural event, Arora said that apart from the Mumbai version of dWE awards, they also plan to host India Wine Awards, which, for the first time in the country, will be based on blind barrel tastings in each of the country’s wine-producing districts by a panel of experts. These Awards are being planned for February-March 2017 and will be held in Mumbai and Bangalore in alternate years.

“With the two awards, we will honor the country’s best wine professionals and cover 360 degrees of the wine experience — from wine service, imports, retail and tourism to the quality of wines being produced in India, from consumer-driven industry awards to tastings-led expert awards,” said Arora.

The wine scene in India seems all set for the next level of evolution.

Old wine in new bottle- is the common refrain to denote cosmetic changes to an existing product. But there’s a subtle variability in its interpretation. If the concerned product is nothing to write home about, cosmetic changes appear unnecessary and maybe a desperate means to ameliorate product consumption. But what if the product is already in the hall of fame? It leads to another proverbial description- “cherry on the icing”.

The latter interpretation was on full display as one of India’s leading wine producers Grover Zampa Vineyards (GZV) relaunched their flagship wine La Réserve innovatively, pairing it with a customized barbeque menu by hotel JW Marriott,New Delhi. Titled “La Réserve Barbeques” the Delhi launch was last in series of similar events in Mumbai and Bangalore.

About La Réserve

Those familiar with Indian wines would probably agree that La Réserve Red from GZV has attained cult status on the Indian wine front ever since it  was launched in 1998 . After having developed a distinctive French  inclined ‘house style’, courtesy their  active collaboration with famed wine consultant Michel Rolland and French winemaker Mathias Pellisard, GZV have been successfully able to place this wine as their “prestige cuvée”. The wine is the result of hand-picked selection of GZVs oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vines vinified and matured in French oak barrels.
Completing the ensemble offering, La Réserve White is a barrel fermented Viognier which according to GZV, is elaborated vintage after vintage with the same zeal as La Réserve Red.

Apart from the refined disposition of La Réserve wines , my personal opinion  finds their utmost USP as being in their consistent quality- which is a difficult ballgame in a non standardized wine industry like India. This prompted me to ask their CEO Sumedh Singh Mandla “ How are you able to ensure a consistent taste more so when you are producing these wines in two distinct geographical locations (Nandi hills in Karnataka and Nashik Valley in Maharashtra) with different terroir elements ?  Sumedh’s reply was quite plausible, as he highlighted that the cuvée blends are carefully managed to incorporate a minimum percentage of common inputs from their oldest vineyards. Though they do not maintain a stock of Réserve wines for blending, it is the quality of produce that is ensured through sound viticultural practices and oenological expertise at hand.

The New Avatar

The new packaging of La Réserve is not restricted to the label alone. A chunkier broad shouldered bottle similar to the Super Tuscans, is weightier and power inducing. While the older ‘white-gold-black’  label was minimalistic and appeared Victorian, the newer one is big, bold and flamboyantly sophisticated keeping pace with the current times. The embossed graphics in dark grey, wine red and gold/silver (for red/white wines respectively) are a pleasing combination complemented with  a pleasant tactile feel.  Another layer of differentiation is rendered by the capsules- gold for red, and silver for white – which makes the variants’ identification easy even from a distance. The price of both these wines ex Delhi retail is  ₹ 1050.00.

The Launch event

Anticipative guests comprising of trade professionals and media witnessed unveiling of the new labels by  Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO GZV and Antony Page, GM JWM, New Delhi even as they savoured the same wines. Though the organizers had envisaged an outdoor setting, the Indian monsoon dictated otherwise, resulting in the last minute shift to the crystal ballroom at JWM. The contingent venue (and the JWM team) did well to spaciously accommodate the gathering as well as the bar/ live barbeque stations.

As mentioned above, JWM Delhi has evolved a special barbeque menu for the La Réserve wines. It is common knowledge that a robust red wine invariably goes well with rustic barbeque preparations, however with a white wine included, more planning is necessitated than meets the eye.  JWM handled this aspect well by incorporating white wine centric  canapés and cheeses as pass arounds, well recognizing that most guests would  prefer to sample the white wine first. However for those not meeting this assumption, the main spread too had ample options to support their preference. The respective food stations were made interesting with witty chalkboard graffiti which fired the imagination further.

Hit Pairings at the Launch

With La Réserve Red

New Zealand lamb chop.
Pork Finochiona sausage
Moroccan lamb merguez with red wine jus
Fettucini pasta with thyme infused mushroom ragout

With La Réserve White

Norwegian smoked salmon, Sevruga Caviar, Dill sour cream blinis
Prawns with spicy garlic lemon marinade
Fromage de chevre with crisps
Salad- poached chicken, French beans and prunes with honey mustard vinaigrette