I am a confirmed front bencher at all such tasting’s so waited for the fun to begin – only to be brought to earth with a dull thud when the gent sitting next to me, with a friend in tow, on getting wine in his first glass, turns to me, says cheers, extends his glass for the customary clink, and then, downs the lot !! All the while the friend whines (pun definitely intended), “Arre itna kum kyon de rahe ho yaar – Why are you pouring so little? “. Gob-smacked was not quite right – shell-shocked is better.

Anyway, Magan had, by then, commenced proceedings so: • The first wine was a White: ANAKENA (no details supplied on the Winery ) CHARDONNAY 2007 – A golden yellow glow and a strongish fruity aroma. Very pleasant on the tongue, slightly acidic overtones, almondish in its lingering finish. Pleasant but no great shakes. (2.5 / 5 ) • We moved to a Red: PICUNCHE (apparently the Winery started 4 years ago) PINOT NOIR 2003 ( ? ) – Either the Vintage was wrong or I’ve got my dates mixed up. Orangey red with a strong nose. Fullish on the tongue with dry overtones, pleasant lingering aftertaste reminiscent of strawberries. Drinkable. (2.5 / 5 )

Pictured above is Magandeep Singh.

• Next up, another Red: PEREZ CRUZ (Estate Bottled Red Wine Producers dating back to 1964 ) CARMENERE 2007 – Magan described this wine as “ very Chilean “ – whatever that means – and the varietals as a “ forgotten grape “ – we know what that means !! Interest peaked. This wine was darker than the Picunche but still not a true ruby red. A lightish bouquet. But once it hit the tongue the wine was a complex of fruity tannins, sweetish undertones and a distinctively spicy finish savoring of cinnamon. Extremely interesting and, for me at least, the Star of the Tasting, though Magan felt it still needed to “ open up “. Very Good (4/5)

• We moved to another Red: ODFJELL (Unique gravity flow Winery founded 20 years ago) ORZADA CARIGNAN 2004 – Magan spoke of this grape as a good varietal example of Cabernet Sauvignon. Darker but still not glowingly ruby. Nothing much in the bouquet. Soft, fruity opening notes suggestive of plums moving towards a drier, walnutty finish. Slightly above Average. (3/5)

• We concluded with a last Red: UNDURRAGA (Established in 1885 one of Chile’s oldest Wineries) SIBARIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Vintage not mentioned) – There was nothing really distinguishable here from the preceding wine; the color a little darker, bouquet a mite stronger, the finish much the same. Slightly above average. (3/5) Pictured to the left is guest Nina Kochhar.

Though Magan was his usual effervescent self – and got a long and well-deserved round of applause for his pains – I thought that 5 wines were too few for a good Guided Tasting meant , essentially, for the Trade.

I would have started with a SPARKLING (from La Rosa or Undurraga), moved to a ROSÉ (from Undurraga or El Aromo), added a couple more WHITES (a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc Reserve from Casas Del Bosque) and to the four Reds that we tasted I would have added a LIGUAI from Perez Cruz. This would have made for a very satisfying 10 Wines and, since I have personally seen and appreciated Magan doing 12 Sicilian Wines in a sitting (Vinitaly India 2008) was very achievable. For whatever reasons we had to accept a dieter’s version.

THE GOOD: The Carmenere and the small eats. 80+ people attended; a phenomenal number for a Guided Tasting.

THE NOT SO GOOD: High alcohol content – 14% and above – in all the wines. Magan explained that this is due to hot climatic conditions in Chile raising the sugar levels, much like in India.

THE UGLY: If you excuse my neighbor and his friend, then the Wine Service bordered on the sloppy with improper bottle rotations, spilt wine et al. Not expected from The Oberoi even with Banquet Stewards handling the show.

We now moved to The Oberoi Ballroom where separate stalls had been set up by: CASABLANCA, CASAS DEL BOSQUE, CHOCOLAN, EL AROMO, J.BOUCHON, LA ROSA, MOSTAZAL, ODFJELL, PEREZ CRUZ, PICUNCHE, SANTA CAROLINA, SIEGEL and UNDURRAGA. Pictured above Perez Cruz (Producers of Estate Bottled red wine dating back to 1964) Carmenere 2007

The first thing that I now look for, at all such Festivals, is which wineries have a local importer backing them because it is not going to do me much good to discover great wines and then find that one has no way of purchasing them in India!

Guests Chetan Seth and Ravi Wadhwani

Of all the participants only UNDURRAGA had a clear-cut local tie up with EPPUR IMPEX (Contact Romi Bhalla : romi@eppur.net ). El Aromo had Indians manning their stall but no visiting cards meant no contact. As one slowly did the rounds sniffing, sipping, tasting, the Ballroom soon became a mela (traditional Indian market ) with around 300+ guests thronging the show. Serious discussion took a backseat – you couldn’t hear yourself speak let alone your interlocutor. However, my diligent explorations confirmed to me, at least, that:

• The BEST REDS were at PEREZ CRUZ
• The BEST WHITES were at CASAS DEL BOSQUE
• The BEST RANGE was with UNDURRAGA

These are, of course, my personal conclusions and, thus, entirely subjective, but I prophesy that one will hear a lot more about these wineries in days to come.

CONCLUSION: A good, almost grand Event, well organized on the whole, very well attended, some entirely drinkable wines – what more could one want? Dinner, anyone? Pictured to the right is the Ambassador of Chile, His Excellency Alphonso Silva.

- Avininder Singh

“The most important factor contributing to its growth is that India is producing some really good wines. Many of these wines are making an appearance abroad and are becoming increasingly popular as a natural extension of Indian cuisine," she adds.

Read the full article which talks about the wine clubs and the wine culture more broadly. The AFP also mentioned Sommelier India in a recent article on the Indian wine scene.

Louis Gaspard d’Estournel sold his first wines of Cos d’Estournel in India. The office records of the brokers Tastet-Lawton, which are valid executed and authenticated deeds, certify this fact :

“1831 – Cos d’Estournel – Destination Calcutta – Very good !”
“1834 – Cos d’Estournel – Destination Calcutta – Perfect !”
“1837 – Cos d’Estournel – Destination Calcutta – Perfect !”

It seems that the princes and gentry who were sent to Oxford and Cambridge to be educated in the early part of the 19th Century brought back the claret habit with them. The powerful and rich character of the St. Estephe wines appealed to them particularly and naturally then it had to be the COS. So much so that in that period 90% of the COS was being shipped to India.

It so transpires that one consignment of the Cos shipped to India had to be returned for some reason and, “The Maharaja of St. Estephe”, as Louis Gaspard d’Estournel was often referred to as, had observed that the wine which had traveled several seas had improved during the course of the voyage as a result of the gentle swaying of the boat with the swell of the sea ! He had the wine brought back to his cellars, endowed it with a label marked “R” which for the initiated meant “Retour des Inde” and he offered it to the great men of this world.

The logo or mascot of the chateau as can be observed from the top of this page and also on the label, is the Indian Elephant (as in not the African of species).

The famous door of the Chateau that came from the Sultan of Zanzibar’s palace and “the great Hindu pagoda”, referred to by Saint-Rieul Dupuy in his ‘SUMMER IN BORDEAUX; MR. D’ESTOURNEL, HIS CELLARS AND HIS WINES”, 1850, commenting on the unique pagoda style roof of the Chateau, completes the Indian connection of Chateau Cos d’Estournel.

Chateau Cos d’Estournel is classified as a Second Growth (Deuxième Cru) according to the famous classification of the wines of Bordeaux that took place in the year 1855. However over the last 30 years, the Chateau has done so well that Robert Parker, the world’s most powerful wine critic, regards the Chateau on par with the First Growths of Bordeaux.

Editor's Note: Interestingly, the book Catering Management (3rd Edition) also talks of Vins Retour de l'Inde and draws attention to a Madère Retour des Indes 1846 that was served at the Café Anglais in Paris in 1867. The chapter on Historical Banqueting is available as a PDF.

Nirad Muthanna, Regional Director of the Wine Society of India, introduced the WSI, and received enthusiastic response from members. Abhay Kewadkar, Head Winemaker and Vice President of UB Group, incidentally, a former Rotarian himself, took the guests through each of wines being served that evening.

The salad with balsamic reduction was complimented by the Gossips Chardonnay with its delightful nose of tropical fruits, green apples, and citrus with just a hint of oak.

The ever popular Bouvet Brut with its white flower nose of honeysuckle and acacia, complimented the highlight dish of the evening -- the grilled tiger prawns with an unusual and wonderful fennel orange salsa and smoked salmon mash.

The guest were pleasantly surprised by the 100% Cabernet Franc, Chinon Rouge A.O.C., a medium bodied wine with a subtle bouquet of red fruit, peony, and bay leaf, which married perfectly with the sweetness of the oven roasted lamb chops with porcini mushroom essence sauce and the vegetable lasagne with goat cheese crust.

The members took a break, and elected Rtn. Jitendra Aneja as the RWFI President for 2008-9, along with Rtns. Suresh K. Bhat, Vijay Mane, T.K. Chandramouli, Chander Mannar, and Devesh Agarwal forming the committee.

The desert of mixed berries cheesecake was highlighted by the Bouvet Rubis Demi-Sec with its nose of red fruit, and explosion of red and black fruits on the palate.

The evening ended with a standing ovation to Mr. Kewadkar, and the ITC Windsor teams led by Chef Vijay Malhotra, and Gautam Dadlani for the superlative symphony of wine, food, and service.

On behalf of the RWFI Committee
Devesh R. Agarwal reporting.

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But the music can only be played when the bottle is opened. And what music! when the wine is from the House of Louis Jadot!

Maison Louis Jadot produces 150 wines. We tasted four delicious examples that night. The food was excellent and beautifully presented, even though the connoisseurs among us didn’t think it was the perfect match. I won’t go through the menu in detail because ultimately it was the wines that stole the show.

With extensive vineyard holdings throughout France's Burgundy region, Maison Louis Jadot ranks among the premier producers and negociants of the Burgundy wine variety. Louis Jadot's list of well over 100 labels presents a unique collection of "premier cru" and "grand cru" appellations. (Grand cru is the highest classification for the Burgundy region, followed by premier cru).

Over a four-course meal, we drank ¬Maison Louis Jadot Pouilly Vinzelles Château de Loche 2000, an elegant, classically structured chardonnay with a whiff of vanilla that tasted of ripe, tropical fruit flavours with a touch of oak. This was followed by a lovely Puligny-Montrachet premier cru Les Perrieres, a wine with a mellow roundness and a fragrant, intense bouquet. The wine’s beautifully balanced acidity with a soft and lingering finish worked wonders with my entrée – oven cooked Chilean sea bass with fresh spinach and braised leeks.

Next came the spicy Maison Louis Jadot Aloxe-Corton 1998 with its concentrated cherry and black currant fruit flavours balanced with friendly tannnins, which accompanied the main course or plat principal of French Duck Breast with Manuka Honey Liqueur and a Duet of Asparagus.

The last wine we drank was the most magical – a premier cru Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes 1999 – an exquisite example of an elegant, supple wine with delicate, floral and fruity aromas. The tannins were silky and velvety, but then – came the power!

Nicolas Dewé, Export Manager, Maison Louis Jadot

Four memorable wines, but only a teaser of what you can expect from this great house, said Dewé. Burgundy is not always easily accessible, needing a few years before you can get the most pleasure from them. These wines start to become great wines after five years, Dewé noted. If you want to sample them for yourself, the wines are imported by Brindco and available at most five star hotels in the country.

Produced from pinot noir grapes on a variety of terroir, Burgundy was once considered unreliable and unpredictable. But, no longer. The wines being produced today have never been better or more consistent. Not everyone likes Burgundy, however, especially if you prefer fleshy fruit flavours and less acidity. I loved the wines and was completely won over by their delicacy, elegance and complexity.

Burgundy is a complicated region with its confusing appellations that sound so similar but are very different. Don’t try understanding it. Leave that to the erudite expert.

Just open a bottle of Maison Louis Jadot and hear the music!

- Reva Singh

Karim Mekachera, Director Maison de la France India said, “We at Maison de la France are particularly proud, alongside our colleagues at Sopexa to showcase France’s premier attractions including its rich gastronomic heritage, its exceptional premier wines and its treasure trove of incredible tourism destinations.”

Three French tourist destinations were introduced that night to the Indian gourmet traveler – Reims in Champagne, Dijon in Burgundy and the region of the Rhone-Alpes.

Loïc Denneulin, Country Manager, Sopexa India, (pictured) expressed his great delight in associating with Maison de la France since “the notion of origin is of utmost importance in French food culture and the key to understanding the diversity and flavours of French agro food products,” he said. The apéritif, he noted, ranges from elaborate to very simple items depending on the occasion and the mood.

Recently arrived in India, Denneulin said, “I am glad to observe that the Apéritif is increasingly gaining interest in India since this is an occasion to experience the art de vivre a la Française, the French way of enjoying life.”

Meanwhile there have been other wine related developments and events.

- The Bangalore Wine Club has a new Committee: Rishad Minochar (of Hatworks Boulevard fame)
takes over as the President, and committee members include Kavita Vij, Mohan Kumar (VP Taj West End), Aslam Gafoor
and myself. Wine lovers can look forward to the bar being raised ever higher in future events.

- A Karnataka Wine Policy was announced in June 2007, and the only action taken was the formation of 
the Karnataka Wine Board. However, a recent front-page article in the Times of India talked about impending moves
to implement the policy (excluding fortified wines). With the new state government in place perhaps
a Gazette Notification may come out soon. Look forward to a hundred wineries blooming!

The new excise year starts in July with the renewal of licences and label registrations. Since the latter can take up to three months for imported
wines, all hotels stock-up in June (at least for foreign wines and spirits).
It's Christmas for the importers!

But some scientists believe that it is far too early to draw definite conclusions. One concern is whether wine contains enough resveratrol to have any significant affect. The other is that there hasn't been enough research done to date and that mice may respond to resveratrol differently to human beings. Read the International Herald Tribune article for more on the research.

In a separate study researchers found health benefits at levels equivalent to three or four glasses of red wine a day in humans, but they believe that a glass of red wine a day might provide all the resveratrol the heart needs.

Nevertheless, remember to always drink in moderation as excessive drinking can have other side affects.

Melt-in-the-mouth starters such as Crispy Prawn Crab Balls with sweet chilly sauce, Lasooni Murg Tikka and Multani Mushroom with a mint dip, and Crispy Sesame Broccoli in a honey barbeque sauce, being light in flavour, were paired with aromatic Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Syrah wines.

The dinner presented an array of delicious old favourites and delicacies. Viva, a pleasant Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc, with hints of fruit, oak and vanilla, matched the salad course featuring German Potato Salad, Oriental Caesar Salad, Pasta and Corn Salad, and a choice of flavourful preparations including lightly braised bell peppers, grilled eggplant and grilled zucchini.

The main course of Fried Fish, Murg Masala Hyderabadi, Gosht Rogan Josh, Potato Steak with barbeque sauce, Vegetable Jalfrazi, Paneer Tikka Butter Masala, Dal Makhani, Jeera and Brown Onion rice and assorted Indian breads paired well with the reds Cabernet-Merlot, Merlot and Cabernet-Syrah. Simple yet full of flavours, the Cabernet-Merlot was recommended as a wine that pairs well with most Indian food.

A light and fruity trifle and everyone’s favourite American fudge brownies with vanilla ice-cream wrapped up the enjoyable evening and had guests agreeing with Dhuru that wine is really “a passion business”!

Separately, Chateau d’Ori plans to expand its label overseas into the United Kingdom, Japan, United States and South East Asia. The company's overseas plans will begin with Indian restaurants being targeted for the distribution of its wines.

The additional duty amounted to 20 to 75 per cent of the value of beer and wine imports -- with the higher tax charged on cheaper wines -- and from 25 to 150 per cent of imports of distilled spirits.

The US and the EU had filed complaints at the WTO arguing that the layers of custom duties on wines and spirits ran counter to New Delhi's WTO commitments.

India removed the additional customs duties on imported liquor, which ranged between 20-150 per cent. This was over and above the basic customs duty of 150 per cent allowed by the WTO.

The multiple duties took the overall taxes on wine and spirits up to 550 per cent in some cases. The US had filed the complained against India in May 2007 claiming that additional duties on alcoholic beverages were as high as 550 per cent of the value of the product.

Panelists had travelled from Bordeaux, Sydney, Hong Kong, Tokyo with India being represented by our Magandeep Singh. The concluding event was a gala dinner on the 25th which was a rousing success as no one was using the spittoon this time! Quite an experience. Journalists had travelled from far and wide and there were about 80 of us altogether. Regrettably, there was no Chinese wine. Consumption of wine in China is increasing by leaps and bounds and demand for good quality imported brands is on a sharp upward curve. It really all goes back to the concept of 'drinking' with your meal rather than just before it, as we do in India!

Right after Beijing, it was Hong Kong for the Vinexpo between the 27th and 29th of May. This was my second experience of the Asian Vinexpo which this time had 692 winemakers from 32 countries showcasing their 'wares'. Besides a very strong contingent from the different regions of France, countries like Germany, Spain, Italy and Chile too were very well represented. And here I also got to try out some Chinese wine which was not to my taste.

Toasting Chinese cuisine at the ICCCW, Beijing

On the side there was the Saint-Emilion Grands Crus Classés Challenge and a few very interesting technical sessions. The Challenge was won by Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere. A few months ago Hong Kong removed all duties on wine imports and the Government wants to see their city as the hub for the region for wine. What a strategic move. We can certainly see more people travelling to Hong Kong.

- Kulbir Singh

“My personal opinion is a very individual thing and you have to decide for yourselves what you like. We do not make tasting wines, only drinking wines,” Martin says. “These are wines to be enjoyed so that the bottle is emptied and then, perhaps, another one opened! This is not wine that is made to please professional wine tasters and critics.”

Brancaia has achieved critical acclaim too. Winning national and international awards every year consistently, the wines are imported and distributed in India by Vishal Kadakia of Wine Park, who said, “Our portfolio is made up of wineries where innovation and passion combine to produce wines of the highest quality, and their style truly expresses the region from where they come.”

Casa Brancaia is owned by the Swiss couple, Brigitte and Bruno Widmer who bought it in 1981. Brancaia consists of two estates, Brancaia and Poppi, located in the heart of the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany. The family also owns Brancaia in Maremma on the coast of Tuscany about seven miles from the sea, southeast of Grosseto, which has been operative since 1998. Both estates are managed jointly by Barbara and Martin Kronenberg-Widmer. Barbara is the oenologist and winemaker.

They believe in a hands-on approach and live on the estate. “With agricultural products, you have to be there,” says Martin. “There is no general rule for when you harvest, you just have to be present.” This approach has paid back many times over as the wines have received widespread acknowledgement, winning award after award.

After the 1983 vintage won first place in a major Chianti Classico tasting, there was no looking back. Their consultant, Dr. Carlo Ferrini, is a star, says Martin. They rely on his experience and expertise, but the winemaker is Barbara and she has produced some brilliant vintages.

Brancaia wines have a strong estate identity, underscored by their top wine, Brancaia Il BLU, a classic beloved of wine connoisseurs around the world. According to Martin, the vintage that really put Brancaia on the map, was 2001, their fourth vintage, proclaimed in the media as “A new star is born”!

While Brancaia wines are eminently age-worthy, Super Tuscans can also be enjoyed young, especially when paired with strong flavoured food, in Martin’s view. Young Super Tuscan’s should be decanted and cooled in the refridgerator for 30 to 45 minutes. “When decanting the wine, don’t be hesitant about it,” he syas, “just SPLASH it into the decanter!”

The 2005 which was bottled in June last year and released for shipment in the Fall, has a lot of forward fruit without losing its elegance. “The wine will close down for some months again, and then open for the next ripening. You can drink it today and the between 2011 and 2018.”

The Brancaia Estate produces three other products which were also available for tasting, but the 2005 rounded off the vertical tasting of 12 exceptional wines which had been selected from the estate’s archives.

FACT FILE: THE VINEYARDS
The Brancaia estate encompasses the vineyards Brancaia (Castellina in Chianti) and Poppi (Radda in Chianti), at between 750 and 1300 feet above sea level. All vineyards have hillside location, looking south, southwest or southeast. They are partly covered with greenery and worked according to integrated production standards.

Soil is lean and stony, with a portion of clay and lime.

Vineyards cover roughly 60 acres: 65% are Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Each acre carries about 2400 wines. All are cultivated in the one-armed cordon system. Approximately 4800 lb. of grapes are hand-picked from an acre.

Pubs, bars, restaurants and five-star hotels are the primary wine selling outlets with 63% of sales volume coming from these channels,' a recent Rabobank report states.

Yatin Patil, director, Vintage Wines, set up business in 2005 and has seen demand for his brands jump "Our bottled wines sale for 2007 was around 10,000 cases (1 case = 9 litres). Consumption of wine has spread deep into the country, from metros to towns, he points out. Jagdish Hodkar, owner of Flamingo Wines, puts his wine sales at 20,000 cases for 2007.

For more on this topic, read the Economic Times article and also browse the highlights of the Rabobank study which emphasizes that the bulk of India’s current wine grape production comes from smallholding vineyards on just 1 to 2.5 hectares.

Aldo Sohm had only 45 minutes to complete the final part of the competition where he was asked to correct a faulty wine list, pair foods and wines, demonstrate guest service in a simulated restaurant setting, perform Champagne service, decant wines and also provide specific cigar recommendations with after-dinner drinks.

As Decanter reported, he beat 14 other semifinalists in the competition, including Spain's Roger Vius" and Manuel Moreira, fomr Portugal. The finals of the competition, organised by the World Sommelier Association, took place at the Cavalieri Hilton hotel in Rome.

Le Bernardin is arguably one of the most glamorous and stylish of French restaurants in New York. The wood-paneled dining room is grand but not ostentatious. The food is delicious and the wine list extensive. I recommend the Prix-Fixe Menu - a three-course lunch for $64 or a four-course dinner, $107. Chef Eric Ripert who was the winner of the James Beard Award for 2003 Outstanding Chef of the Year and recently published A Return to Cooking, runs the cooking.

The wines were sensibly judged in two price brackets - under 10 pounds and over. 10 pounds is roughly Rs. 832. Click to view the Gold Medal winners or to search all the winners.

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France won the most medals (696) followed by Australia (587) and Spain (381). Australia picked up an extra 101 medals compared to the previous years. Other countries that improved considerably included Austria (up 58%), Canada (up 128%) and the Eastern European Countries of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. France also won the most golds (60).

This year's results were announced at the London International Wine Fair by famed footballer David Ginola who entered his first wines from the Coste Brulade domain. You can search the results on the International Wine Challenge website.

Spreading over 94 hectares (231 acres) of rolling vineyards, Brane-Cantenac’s present owner is Henri Lurton, whose dedication and understanding of the state’s terroir and close involvement in every stage of its winemaking combined with state-of-the-art equipment and judicious innovations has taken a truly outstanding wine to new heights.

Elegant and modern with its famous black and gold label and new branding, “Just Brane”, this world-reknowned second growth is complex, balanced and full of flavour — a great pedigree Margaux from a deep gravel terroir.

In addition to Château Brane-Cantenac Grand Vin, Baron de Brane is the second wine of the Château with a new label in silver and claret reflecting nobility and tradition.