Kavita is a third level Master Sommelier and a welcome addition to the professional wine scene in Delhi which so far only boasts one actively working, qualified sommelier, Stephane Soret, of The Imperial.

There were a couple of wine standouts for each taster, but on the whole, the quality of the wines - which were tasted blind - was high, with all of them scoring well. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc was the unanimous favourite but Seresin and Villa Maria Reserve also stood out. The wines tasted represent the best examples of what consumers want from a white wine: fresh aromas and pure structure with the possibility of being aromatically multilayered and complex.

2007 Cloudy Bay
Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5% ABV
Pale lemon with some green flecks in appearance. A typical Sauvignon nose with tropical fruit, citrus (lemons, limes) and gooseberry notes. Some faint, sweaty aromas indicative of Semillon or perhaps even oak ageing.

Intense fruit profile on the palate balanced by medium-intense acidity and medium alcohol. Harmonious palate of fruit, grassy characters, acid and alcohol. Long, fruity finish held by clean acidity.
Importer: Mohan Bros. Price: Rs 3100 incl taxes (Delhi)

Other wines tasted included:
2007 Villa Maria 'Reserve' Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Huia Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Seresin Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Lawson's Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Sacred Hill Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc

Read their tasting notes in the latest issue of Sommelier India. It is worth noting that Marlborough wines contribute $78 million to the New Zealand wine economy according to a recent report from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research