Happy Feet Crush Reveilo
Vintage Wines, makers of Reveilo, in association with The Club, Mumbai's prestigious club and UpperCrust magazine came together to make Sunday, 22 February 26, 2009 a very exciting and glamorous one with the first grape crushing event in the ambient surroundings of The Club. Suneeta Kanga joined the grape stompers on Sommelier India's behalf. Pictured to the right are Suneeta Kanga, Alex Kuruvilla, Shweta Keswani and Pooja Bedi.
Trampling grapes with bare feet, the guests had the "feel" of crushing 500 kilos of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Vintage Vine's own vineyard in the Nashik valley. (It is whispered that the Chef at the Club plans to make a House wine with the must!)
"Wine is Bottled Poetry". The quote by R L Stevenson comes to mind immediately as you have the first sip of the Reveilo Chenin Blanc. Chilled to perfection and graciously presented by Kiran and Yatin Patil, it is just one of the many heady wines from the house of Reveilo.
Kiran advises me to try their Chardonnay next. And I sure am glad when I do. Again, chilled to perfection the wine is an original, like almost no other in the Indian basket. The zippy acidity and the rich aroma of peach, melon and pineapple are perfectly balanced. Pictured are Yatin and Kiran Patil of Vintage Wines, Parvez Damania, Farzana Contractor, Dinesh and Tushar Khanna.
The sultry afternoon turned progressively headier with the added combination of the sun, music and the revelry which was highlighted by the "Stomping Brigade" consisting of the hosts and other wine enthusiasts. Imam Siddique kept the tempo up by encouraging the crowd, including children, to join in for this very novel grape crushing experience.
After the delectable appetizers provided by The Club which included chicken and cheese puchkas, assorted canapés and other savouries, lunch was a scrumptious spread made more memorable with the accompaniment of the Reveilo Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Syrah is particularly smooth on the palate with the smoky richness of spices, pepper and berries. Unless controlled, one could run the risk of one glass too many on this one. The Cabernet Sauvignon is complex with a strong aroma of oak and a powerful yet balanced taste of fruit and green peppers. Very drinkable with a long persistent finish.
Reveilo wines are now selectively available for the discerning palate. While priced higher than most Indian wines, it is a glassful that comes with the promise of appealing to a wine aficionado or turning you into one.
