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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Wine is certainly the flavour of the times. Wine features of all kinds appear regularly in the mainstream media underscoring a trend and disposition for wine information that Sommelier India magazine was the first to anticipate. We came on the scene without fanfare more than three years ago, in the midst of nay sayers, doubting Thomases and publishing pundits who doubted there was a market for a publication exclusively on wine.

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Masala Art at The Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi, is arguably the best place in town for wine enthusiasts who love Indian food. With a wine list comprising 408 labels (several available by the glass) and a light, youthful take on traditional, North Indian cuisine, it is ideal for wine matches. A bright, cheerful restaurant with 22 covers, it’s a great favourite with visiting businessmen and professionals who enjoy a glass or two of wine with a nicely presented meal.

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In a vertical tasting, different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery are tasted all at once. This emphasizes differences between various vintages. In contrast with a horizontal tasting, the wines are all from the same vintage but are from different wineries. Keeping wine variety or type and wine region the same helps emphasize differences in winery styles.

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In the latest issue, Steven Spurrier who is a living legend in wine circles around the world, tastes and scores Indian wines. Beware, the results may surprise. Jancis Robinson tries to understand why the Chinese are so fascinated with Lafite among all the first growths. It begs the question, will India develop a special relationship with one of the first growths too? And will that be Lafite? Inder Raj Ahluwalia takes the reader on a journey to Barossa, the famous wine region of South Australia while Alok Chandra interviews South Australia's premier in an exclusive for Sommelier India.

Raghu Bahadur shares with us his experiences in shopping for wine in the Arabian Gulf and India. Not surprisingly, he finds shopping for liquor an uphill task. Robert Joseph of the Indian Wine Challenge fame, contemplates the impact of global warming on the future of wine and Janaki Bahadur visits Madhu Jaffrey to discover her secrets of success. And if that wasn't enough to read, Brinda Gill interviews Jean-Manuel Jacquinot, food columnist Preah Narang adds flavor and Michele Shah discusses her favorite Tuscans in the new vintage.

Your issue should have reached you by now. Subscribe today if you haven't already and join the wonderful world of wine!

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