The roses that decorate the ends of vine rows were not originally planted for aesthetic reasons believe it or not. Rose plants are highly susceptible to vine diseases and are usually affected earlier than the vineyard. Thus, roses were originally used to help winegrowers take quick action to protect their vines. They'd serve as an important early warning system for the winegrowers.

The Indian wine industry seems to have been getting a lot of press recently. First appeared a cover story in Lounge, the Sunday magazine of Delhi's Mint, then there was an article in the Toronto Globe and Mail, and finally, the Financial Times of London published a report on Sunday which we have already shared with you. Here are the other two stories.

At a small, Italian-style restaurant on the fringes of south Delhi, a wine tasting is under way. Within earshot is the drone of traffic on a four-lane highway and the noisy building site of an overland metro - reminders of India's growing economy. Led by Kulbir Singh, president of the Indian Wine Society, the group of professionals and executives from the beverages industry are sipping from long-stemmed glasses of Piper-Heidsieck champagne.

This piece by James Lamont originally appeared in the Financial Times of London on January 22nd, 2012.

You are at an upmarket restaurant and have ordered an expensive wine. As you taste the wine, both you and your companion are disappointed with the way it tastes, to the point that you suspect that it is not sound. The sommelier, hovering within earshot, has overheard you, or has read your body language, because he comes up to you and himself has tasted it.

Kings of old had people taste their food before they ate, but Raghu Bahadur wonders if it's a good idea for a sommelier to taste the wine before its drunk?

According to a new study, women who drink two glasses of wine every day say they're having better sex than their teetotaling counterparts. The University of Florence, Italy study assessed sexual satisfaction of 800 women between age 18 and 50 in its research study.

Here's wishing you dear readers, a new year filled with good fortune, health and happiness - and of course, many good bottles and happy reading!

2011 was another rewarding year for Sommelier India. We covered more wine news and happenings, tasted a greater number of wines, published richer stories, produced bigger issues and hosted exciting wine events throughout the year for the benefit of our growing readership. Thanks to your lively interest, contributions, participation and loyalty, Sommelier India's reach has grown exponentially. With your continued involvement, we hope 2012 will be even more satisfying and fun-filled in our wine journey together.

To receive the magazine in the mail, please subscribe here. Happy reading! The Sommelier India team.

Indian Wines to see you through 2012
If I was asked to select one wine from India's top producers, I would choose a Viognier from Grover, one of the earliest producers of this varietal, Chenin Blanc from newcomer, Fratelli, because it's dry, and Sauvignon Blanc from Sula for its fragrant nose and consistency.

"Sales of Burgundy have been on the rise for several years in Asia," Louis-Fabrice Latour, Chairman of the Union of Burgundy Wine Markets (FNEB) told Marisa D'Vari from Sommelier India after a press conference given by the BIVB before the 151st Hospices de Beaune auction.

One of the most exciting areas for wines today is the area around the slopes of Mount Etna, the active volcano in Sicily. Although Etna DOC is the oldest/first demarcated wine region in Italy (1968), it is only in the last 15 years or so that top quality wine has been produced here, writes Harshal Shah, who was in Sicily recently reporting for Sommelier India

In early September, I was invited to Shanghai for the launch of Möet & Chandon's Grand Vintage Collection 1911 champagne, a century-old treasure that I had the rare pleasure to taste. Belying its age, the wine was a lovely golden yellow and drank superbly. Now Christie's is offering six limited edition bottles in a luxurious black leather chest with elegant brass fittings, as the star attraction of its Fine and Rare Wines Sale in New York, on 19th November 2011. By Reva K. Singh

ITC Maurya's Dum Pukht restaurant in New Delhi was the venue chosen by SI editor, Reva K. Singh for a Sommelier India Wine Dinner on Wednesday, November 19th to pair Austrian wine with Indian food. Dum Pukht is a speciality Indian restaurant known for its traditional cuisine. This was no ordinary dinner, however. It stretched over 12 courses, each paired with two different wines, writes Gaurav Anand who was present.

The Leela Palace hotel in Udaipur, has a new GM, Graham A Grant, who was previously resort manager of Hayman, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Grant, who has great plans for the property told Sommelier India, "Our culinary offering embraces individual preference, indulgence in Rajasthani culture, creativity with highest quality produce, and paired wine from a walk-in cellar. This is combined with service that befits a feeling of regality," he continued, "in surrounds that are stately and extend to a romantic connection with the magical backdrop of Lake Pichola."

Moët & Chandon has been known as the champagne of success and glamour since the House was founded in 1743. On September 5, 2011 it launched the House's 270th anniversary celebrations with a Gala Dinner billed "Le Dîner du Siècle" or the Dinner of the Century in Shanghai, writes Reva K. Singh who was a guest at this prestigious event. Pictured are Bollywood star Abhay Deol and Moët muse, Scarlett Johansson

September 9, 2011: Obtaining the WSET Level 3 Advanced Wines and Spirits Certificate is no easy task, which is why ITC Hotels has put in place an intensive programme in order to ensure that the cream of their F&B service professionals, drawn from across their luxury hotels are fully prepared for this day. Left: Charles Crawfurd, MW, conducting a WSET class

Portuguese wines in India have a tough time being taken seriously. Mention Portugal and you immediately think of port, but there is much more to the wines of Portugal than Port. And if it's port, we invariably associate it with the port wine from Goa, which is not a good comparison, notes Reva K Singh. Pictured: Left to right, Kavita Singh, Dora Martins and Maria De Oliveira