Australia

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.

Going back to the roots has been an acknowledged human trait. What if someone takes it literally and plants the roots for good in foreign soil? That’s De Bortoli for you, an Aussie winemaker with Italian roots, also one of  largest family owned wineries of Australia.

A Legacy is Born

It was in 1924 that Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli moved from Northern Italy to the fertile Riverina region in New South Wales. Their motive? To find a better life than the war ravaged Europe. More than 90 years later, De Bortoli is one of the most prominent wine estates of Australia. They have vineyards in Riverina, Yarra Valley, King Valley and the Hunter Valley- all within the wine friendly New South Wales and Victoria. No wonder, the emblazoned “DB” on their many wine labels evokes instant recognition.

Today, De Bortoli is managed by the third generation with Darren De Bortoli at the helm as Managing Director and Winemaker.  Leanne De Bortoli and her winemaker husband Steve Webber look after the company’s Yarra Valley Estate, while Kevin De Bortoli is the Viticulturist and the fourth sibling Victor De Bortoli is the Export Director.

In India, DB wines are imported by Prestige Wines and Spirits Pvt Ltd, a part of the reputed Thapar group that has diverse business interests. Apart from four variants of their earlier available entry level wine ‘Accomplice’, Prestige in early 2016 introduced DB’s premium wines to augment the offering.

To introduce these wines, Darren Blood, Export Manager Asia Pacific and Emerging Markets for De Bortoli arrived in India (Delhi and Mumbai) in early March 2017. I attended the Delhi fixture on invitation by Sumit Sehgal, CEO Prestige Wines and Spirits. The newly launched glittering cellar at Hotel Leela Ambience Gurugram provided a perfect backdrop for the engagement.

Whither Prosecco?

On entering the venue, snazzy bottles of De Bortoli Prosecco from King Valley greeted me even as I wondered-  isn’t Prosecco supposed to be a sparkling wine from Italy? As expected, the devil lay in the details, which Darren Blood amply explained in the course of the evening.

In Italy, the term “Prosecco”was earlier referred-to as a grape varietal, which is now called  by its original Latin name “Glera”. Since 2009, Prosecco came under  DOCG and DOC regulations, stipulating that wines labelled with the name came only from the specified quality areas of Italy. However, elsewhere (most notably in Australia) the term Prosecco is still used in context of the grape varietal, quite legally so. Therefore, a Prosecco from Australia implies a wine from the Prosecco grape varietal and nothing more. Of course the region of production has to be specified separately- in this case King Valley- a reputed Prosecco growing region of Australia.

The Tasting

Starting with a sparkling, progressing towards white, reds and finally a dessert wine- all with food- this tasting had every ingredient of a sit down wine dinner, albeit in a fast-forward mode. It was akin to speed dating the wines. The payoffs were significant viz. saving on time and mingling freely without losing out on due deliberations. The wines did not disappoint either.

DB Prosecco (Non Vintage)
ABV: 11.5%
Price: Rs. 2650

A crisp, off dry wine with a creamy froth and flavours of citrus and tree fruits. It is an easy drinking wine, ideal as a party starter or as a sparkling cocktail ingredient. To emphasize its fun quotient, the back label of the bottle encourages the wine’s use in cocktails like the Aperol Spritz.

Ensure that it is well chilled (4- 6°C) to fully enjoy its potential.

DB Family Selection Pinot Grigio 2015
ABV: 12%
Price: Rs. 1850

A similar style to what you would taste from Italy, DB Pinot Grigio is light and refreshing on the palate. Its nose of white flowers and citrus fruits is appetizing and its subtle flavours make for an ideal accompaniment to salads, steamed and poached preparations.

Riorret The Abbey Vineyard (Pinot Noir) 2013
ABV: 12%
Price: Rs. 8000

Coming from one of Yarra Valley’s prestigious vineyards located at Tarrawarra, this was the star wine of the evening for many, including me. It had several characteristics of a delightful Pinot Noir- plumpness, spicy vegetal and juicy red berries flavours. It worked wonders with Spaghetti and meat balls from the live food station at the tasting.

DB Family Selection Shiraz 2014
ABV: 14.5%
Price: Rs. 1850

Soft and gentle on the palate yet bursting with flavours, this is an approachable Shiraz that you can enjoy on its own or with food. The wine may offer many pairing possibilities- a mushroom quiche, juicy Chicken Tikka, Mutton Seekh Kabab– generally foods that are slow cooked and succulent. Overall, the wine is a sophisticated expression of Shiraz with a restrained power.

DB Woodfired Heathcote Shiraz 2015
ABV: 14.5%
Price: Rs. 3500

A grand wine, this one comes from the Heathcote region famous for its full bodied reds, particularly, Shiraz. The ancient red Cambrian soils of the region are credited unambiguously for such affinity. ‘Woodfired’  indicates the wine’s penchant for char grilled food and cured meats.

As expected, the wine was steely in the mouth with aromas of blackberries, black plums, licorice and wet earth. It was a runaway hit with grilled meats and pan fried vegetables.

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2013
ABV: 10 %
Price: Rs. 5950

Inarguably the jewel in De Bortoli’s crown, Noble One has been the winner at the International Wine & Spirit Competition as the “Best Botrytis Wine”  in 1985, 1992 and 2004. Created by Darren De Bortoli in 1982, the wine is a blend of individually fermented cuvées from different vineyards. The wine’s production philosophy is very similar to the famous Sauternes and Barsac wines from France, so much so, that in its initial days, it was labelled as “De Bortoli Australian Sauternes Botrytis Semillon” until GI regulations were enforced.

The wine has aromas of citus fruits, ripe apricots and a hint of nut butterscotch. Partial ageing in French oak lends it a velvety softness and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, Noble One has a good balance of acidity Vs sweetness – the necessary trait of a good dessert wine.  Its price may appear higher but comparing with equivalent international dessert wines made from Botrytised grapes, it quite falls in place.

I would prefer to savour Noble One with creamy and tangy blue cheeses (Stilton, Bleu de Bresse) or with heavily textured Indian sweat meats like Milk Cake or Doda Barfi. At the tasting, it worked well with the various mousses and chocolate coated strawberries on offer.

De Bortoli wines are available in India in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Goa. Prices indicated in this article are ex Mumbai.