Wine lovers can now buy Nine Hills wine in Delhi. Labeled “Nine Hills” after the hills of Nashik from where the grapes come, Seagram formally launched their new quartet of Indian wines in the capital in early July, comprising two whites (a Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc) and two reds (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz). At an exclusive walk-around tasting for 75 members of The Wine Society at Dublin at the ITC Maurya hotel, French winemaker Jean-Manual Jacquinot explained his technique and philosophy.

Diageo has tied up with Reliance Fresh to retail its international wine portfolio in the country. Diageo will launch domestic wines at Reliance Retail outlets in addition to regular liquor shops in September. Initially, the wines will be available at 15 Reliance Fresh outlets in Mumbai and Pune.

Diageo will begin by introducing their Blossom Hill Red wine and White wine in the range of Rs.700-800. Other Blossom Hill varieties like Chardonnay, Colombard Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Shiraz are priced in the range of Rs 900 -1,000.

The French reputed the world over for their fine wines, exquisite flavours and traditional businesses are forging into the Asia Pacific to deepen their footprint in the Asian wine Industry. Ms Christine Gilguy, Deputy Chief Editor of MOCI reported at Vinexpo recently that French wine exports to Singapore jumped by 43% to €360 million in 2006. This is more than 3 times the value of French wine exports to China which stood at €100 million the same year.” Sommelier India partners with Wine for Asia.

Dakshin at the ITC Park Sheraton, Delhi recently matched Kalyera thokku (lobster in an onion-based sauce) with a crisp Riesling. This was preceded by matching mathur Maddur vada, a Mysore vada, with a sauvignon blanc from South Africa. The bold match went down very well with diners. What are your most unusual (and successful!) food and wine matches?

Researchers, specialists and farm advisors at the University of California at Davis have done a important viticulture research over many years. They have created a website so that wine growers can keep up with the latest viticulture research. Called the Integrated Viticulture Online, the website is designed and maintained by the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Integrated Grape Production Workgroup.

Have you heard of Big Banyan wine? It’s the new Indian wine from Château de Banyan, a division of John Distilleries Limited, Bangalore and the latest venture from the promoters of Kumarakom Lake Resort. On sale in Goa and Bangalore with five varietals of white and red wine, we reckon we’ll be hearing a great deal more about these wines. So keep a look out for them. Priced betwen Rs 400 and Rs 600 depending on varying state tariffs, Big Banyan wines will be available in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in August to be followed soon in the capital and other metros. As Indian wines achieve growing recognition in the country, Château de Banyan intends to bring world-class wines to the discerning wine drinker, notes a company press release.

The World Health Organization's Global Status Report on Alcohol reported that the Indian wine market is growing steadily. The share of red wine is 29%, white wine is 37%, sparkling wine 7% and fortified wine 17%. Not surprisingly, Mumbai accounts for approximately 40% of the country's wine sales. The Times of India has featured the report and highlights some interesting statistics on alcohol consumption in each state.

Historically, rosé wine was delicate and dry. It was thought of as the red wine for white wine drinkers; lighter, fruitier and crisper. However, after the Second World War, medium-sweet rosés gained popularity with the classic examples being Mateus Rosé and American "blush" wines. Now the pendulum seems to be swinging back towards a drier, "bigger" style.

These wines are made from the Rhone grapes like Syrah in the Languedoc of France and in Australia too. They haven't made much of a mark in India as yet, but they do share something in common with our neighbor across the border. August 14th has been declared International Rosé Day. It also happens to be Pakistan's Independence Day!

As a follow on to the reduction of tariffs on wine being imported into India, the EU has halted its WTO complaint about Indian wine. The EU praised the Indian government for lifting barriers to wine and whisky imports. However, Brussels said that it regretted that India was raising its basic duties on wines to 150 percent from 100 percent even though these remain within the WTO limits.

The United States declined to say if it was continuing with a separate WTO probe over the same issue. For more on this issue, read the Associated Press coverage. Sommelier India contributor, Alok Chandra also discusses the issue in a Business Standard article. Also read the previous winetariffs posts published on the Sommelier India blog and comment on the subject.

Himachel Pradesh has gotten the wine bug too. Fruit winemakers are blossoming everywhere and are breeding the market with apples, peaches, plums, rhododendrons and watermelons. It may not be just grapes, but its certainly a type of wine according to The Economic Times.

In fact, Chateau Indage, which is India's largest wine maker, is planning to invest Rs. 30 crore for a winery in Pragati Nagar, 55km east of Shimla. Indage will produce both grape and non-grape wine varieties at this facility.

The French Embassy in New Delhi celebrated the 218th National Day of France on July 14th, 2007. Wine from Alsace was served with French delicacies like Escargo and Legumes. The guests included Delhi based actor Nandita Das and the fashion designer duo, Hemant and Lecoanet.

India is a complex country with often competing interests that clash with one another. A recent example of this is the case of the Kharghar wine shop in Mumbai. Residents of the neighborhood are protesting its opening as they are against the availability of liquor in the educational hub.

Banners denouncing the sale of alcohol have been put up and local authorities have been urged to maintain the "no alcohol" status of the area. Residents had believed that Kharghar was a dry zone because there are several educational institutes in the area. However, the opening of the Shyam Wine Shop has proved this wrong.

City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (Cidco) authorities said that as long as the wine shop was in a commercial zone there was nothing wrong. The police added that they cannot do anything as long as the wine shop is not within 500 meters of an educational institution or a place of worship.

Note, wine shops in India sell all kinds of liquor and often the number of wine bottles actually sold is very small. What do you think? Are the residents correct in protesting the opening?

The latest wines to come to my notice are from Luxembourg. The other night I had a deliciously dry and refreshing Riesling followed by an Auxerrois, one of Luxembourg’s most successful grape varieties. The Grand Duchy grows Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir, all of which are produced as varietal wines.

Well chilled and refreshing, the wines were perfect with paté on toast triangles, cubed pineapple, cheese and cherries on toothpicks, and cucumber sticks, not to mention some moist dhokla! Not one person asked for a beer, a nimbu pani or a diet coke. That says something… about the wines and our changing beverage preferences. Pictured above is Moselle Vineyards in Luxembourg.

Torrential rains in northern Europe has left French vineyards at risk of losing a significant percentage of their vintage from rot and mildew according to Decanter magazine. The Bordeaux wine region is especially hard hit. There's been heavy rain in May, June and so far into July with mildew spreading to the grapes. The southern Graves is the worst affected region with a few vineyards losing up to 90% of their crop.

The Government of India has decided to remove additional custom duties on imported wines and spirits. Additional customs duties on imported liquor imposed by India ranged between 20-150% according to PTI. This was over and above the basic customs duty of 150% allowed by the WTO. The multiple duties took the overall taxes on wine and spirits upto 550% in some cases.

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The Indian Government has cut duties on liquor. The Finance Ministry has finally withdrawn all additional customs duties on imported spirit, wine and beer, following ongoing complaints from the EU and US on the high duties levied by India.

A European Commission study had reported that the combination of duties and taxes in some states in India was as high as 550% on imported spirits and 264% on wines. Abhay Kewadkar, Sanjay Menon and Alok Chandra share their opinions.

Chataue Indage organized the Indage Mega Wine Fest at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi to celebrate its 25th anniversary on June 30th, 2007. “We are holding a pan India wine festival and this is an attempt to make wine consumer friendly and to reach out to more people,” said AS Bhatia, manager of Indage’s northern region.

As the Indian Express and others reported, amidst grape stomping sessions and raunchy Punjabi pop numbers, people sipped the recently launched Ivy, Sauvignon Semillon, White Zinfandel and Vin Ballets and nibbled spicy paneer tikkas and fish fingers dipped in coriander chutney. "The whole idea of having these different stalls was to give people a new perspective on wine and to break that barrier of formality, rules and just be a free spirit and enjoy what you like," said Ajay Kumar Gothwal of Champagne Indage Ltd.

Tehelka, The People's Paper mentions Sommelier India in an article talking about the proliferation of high end magazines in India. To quote, "Examine the impact of just one category of these heralds of hyper consumerism. In the last five years, no lifestyle magazine has produced an issue without at least one column imploring you not to get those wines wrong when serving mutton curry (What, no ortolan?) Now we even have Sommelier India, a magazine devoted to wine. Is it surprising that wine sales have grown at 25 percent per year since 1998?"

Wine Park launched its wines last month at Ozone at the Marriot Goa. Members of the trade from the major hotel and restaurant properties got to sample 16 different wines from various regions around the world. Some of the wines represented by The Wine Park include Saint Clair from New Zealand, Brancaia and Querciabella from Italy, Fox Gordon from Australia and Paul Hobb from the USA.

Post your comments on the blog and send us your letters about the magazine. The author of the best letter or blog post from the most recent two months will win a free bottle of wine! The winning letter will be published in the print issue.