Did you know that the bill for a celebration party for the 55 drafters of the US Constitution was for 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 bottles of whiskey, 22 bottles of port, 8 bottles of hard cider, 12 beers and seven bowls of alcohol punch large enough that "ducks could swim in them?"

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India is no stranger to wine. Tracing the history of the drink, its origins can be found in old religious writings. During the Vedic period, wine was often referred to as ‘Somarasa’. Hindu Gods Indra and Varuna are believed to have tasted a mixture of wine and herbs as per the Yajurveda. Reva Singh of Sommelier India is extensively quoted in this Times of India article discussing the Indian wine culture.

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Back in the January/February issue of Sommelier India, the Grapevine talked about the Bordeaux-based wine merchant who in the middle of the 19th century shipped several barrels of claret to an Indian maharaja who did not find the wine to his taste and sent them back to Bordeaux. Well, Sanjay Menon of Sansula saw that tidbit in the magazine and sent us this which goes a little deeper into the story.

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The "Popular Pages Today" gadget shows you which of the thousands of pages on Sommelier India are being clicked on the most. The second which is more useful to advertisers tells you where visitors to the site are geographically based. Called "Recent Visitors" it shows that we have lots of visitors from the tier two metros in India and internationally too. Both features are on the lower right hand side of the home page.

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A new sensation for the palate comes from the Canary Islands, which has a history of winemaking going back to the 15th century. A family vineyard in northern Tenerife is using its speciality Macho vinegars to flavour gourmet chocolates. The owner of Bodegas Monje, Felipe Monje, hit upon the idea when talking to local chocolate maker El Aderno.

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With gas prices soaring around the world and no ceiling in sight, this photograph struck a chord. While we certainly don't condone excessive drinking or have an opinion on drinking versus driving, a little bit of humor is certainly warranted. Wouldn't you agree?

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Enterprising Australian vigneron Joanne Woodhouse has found a new use for the wine lees (grape skins and seeds) from the family vineyard in Victoria – she’s using them as the base for a range of handcrafted soaps, body care products and candles. The Chardonnay soap is said to be good for make-up removal, the Cabernet Sauvignon is for exfoliation, and the Shiraz for shaving. Her company, The Curly Vine, is now supplying outlets in Asia, Europe and the South Pacific. Sandra Westbrooke reports.

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Food and wine, like wine itself is a balance. Although in this case opposites do balance such as a lightly sweet white with very spicy food of any type, never underestimate pairing similar flavors. Similarly, match flavors. The grapefruit/citrus taste of Sauvignon Blancs goes with fish as well as and for the same reason that lemon does. For more insights on food pairings, study this chart.

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Missed an issue of SI? Someone borrowed your copy and didn’t return it? Complete your set or select the issues you want. So few remain of some editions that they are collector’s pieces. For the first time, limited stocks of Sommelier India back issues are available at the price of Rs. 55 each, for India.

To order, send a cheque payable on par to Consolidated Media Int, stating the issues you require and your delivery details to: SI Back Issues, C 320 Defence Colony, New Delhi 110 024, India. Or Contact Us for more information. You can also subscribe online for new issues.

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Brane-Cantenac wines have held an enviable position for centuries. Founded in the 18th century, this Bordeaux wine estate was ranked at the top of the second classed growths in the 1855 classification, but was producing one of the most highly regarded wines of the Médoc well before that. Archives record that over a century before the 1855 classification, the wine of the Cantenac plateau was highly prized among wine connoisseurs who were willing to pay a very good price for it.

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The champagne's been fizzing at the Chelsea Flower Show in London – the traditional start of the English summer social season. The green and white garden created there for Laurent-Perrier won the top award for the best in the show, as well as a gold medal. Read more...

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The French former footballer David Ginola has won a coveted silver award for his Coste Brulade rosé at the International Wine Challenge, the world cup of wine-tasting events, at the London International Wine Fair. The judges praised its "gentle strawberry fruit flavours with a hint of minerality". They also commended two of his other bottles. Read more...

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What should you keep in mind as you decide whether the Bordeaux 2007s are worth buying? Or for that matter, when you are buying any wine to grow your cellar? There are three key factors that are most important. Firstly, the wine needs to have a proven track record of holding well over time. Read more...

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Did you know that there are about 400 species of oak, of which only about 20 are used in making oak barrels? Of the trees that are used, only 5% is suitable for making high grade wine barrels. And the average age of a French oak tree harvested for use in wine barrels is 170 years! Oak barrels, which may be charred before use (as shown in the picture), contribute to the color, taste and aroma, of the contents.

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Senior members of the Sommelier India team recently visited the USA on a whirlwind trip of the East Coast and are happy to report from this outpost of Sommelier India magazine that the US has a thriving wine culture of which the Indian diaspora is an integral part. What's more there is tremendous interest and curiosity about Indian wines. The only Indian wine we actually saw on the shelves, however, was from Sula.

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New York is for wine lovers. Every hundred yards or so along the streets and avenues of Manhattan there seems to be a well stocked wine shop. And there are wine bars and restaurants galore. Bottle Rocket is the kind of store that makes wine shopping fun and easy even if your wine knowledge is next to zero. Located between 5th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas, Bottle Rocket Wine & Spirits is bright and casual, with innovative product displays arranged according to price, style of wine, food matches, etc at stations down the central aisle as well as by country along the wall.

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