A 1727 English text about winemaking in Burgundy reveals how French winemakers simultaneously reduced their labor and day-care costs, by "putting little Children into the Tubs to tread the Grapes to Pieces, who by running about in these large Tubs, as the Grapes are throwing in, tread them under their Feet, which more effectually bruises and heats them, than 'tis possible to do by beating with Sticks or Battoons." Is that really child labor? It sounds like a lot of fun!

New York is one of those strange cities where you can only buy wine in a licensed liquor store or winery. On your way home from work you cannot walk into a grocery store or a supermarket and pick up a bottle or two. A debate is raging over whether to turn over this prohibition era law. Regardless of the outcome, we in the Indian wine world can learn from the New Yorkers. Shiv Singh discusses how.

Last week I was at an evening engagement here in New York where one of the guests (an Indian bonds trader) extolled the virtues of Zinfandels. It got me thinking about Zinfandels, writes Shiv Singh. What are they like and do they make sense for Indian wine lovers?

One of the last traditional poster artists from France, Jean-Pierre Got
creates, paints and prints advertisement posters for vineyards, wine firms and wine events on-commission around the world. For almost seventy years, "Les Caves Fleury", one of the oldest wine merchants in Bordeaux had a large painting adorning their outdoor cellar walls. The mural was painted in the 1930s by famous French art deco poster artist, Jean Dupas (1882-1964).

Abhay Kewadkar, Chief Wine Maker and Business Head, United Spirits Ltd (Wines), spoke to Brinda Gill about Four Seasons wines, recently launched in Pune, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and a Rosé (a Blush Zinfandel). "The wines have been crafted taking into consideration the expression of the grape and are perfect (100%) varietals," Kewadkar said.

I would like to have one of my queries answered. Is it possible to produce wine from pomegranates? I come from Junnar (Taluka) of Pune District. I have 20 acres of land under pomegranates and have contacts with farmers around who are ready to jump into the business of winemaking. I can arrange 100 acres of pomegranate land for this business. If you have any ideas, please respond to Tushar by posting your comments here. Thank you. Ed.

Restaurant launches, new wine lists and wine accessories, trips to winelands, I have been "working" and it is good to see people picking up the revelries where they had left off temporarily to go and salvage whatever was left of their stocks. Magandeep Singh discusses the wine scene.

Though both chocolates and bottles of wine form a great valentine's gift, it is combining the two that needs a bit of practice. With Valentine's Day just around the corner it is perhaps the most opportune moment to try and see how the two can go well with each other. For starters, not many agree that chocolate and wine go very well. Kulpreet Yadav shares his opinion.

As a result of the current financial meltdown, there has been a growing demand for 2nd Growth Grand Cru Bordeaux, and the "second" wines of the top chateaux. Indeed, you may not be compromising very much in buying these wines because their quality is often very close to the First Growths. Pictured to the left is a wine from Chateau Brane Cantenac, a leading Bordeaux 2nd Growth.

In an interesting article on the web, "Obama Raises the Bar"
by John Dickerson, Slate Magazine reports Barack Obama had a drinks party at the White House on January 28 and invited congressional leaders of both parties. He obviously believes that sobering times do not necessarily require everyone to be sober. In the article click on 'drank heavily' to find out exactly how much the Founders drank!

2007 Fattoria Sovestro, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Siena, Rs. 1800. Vintage, winery, grape, sub region, price - This is how the wines appear on my wine list, says Stephane Soret, Head Sommelier at The Imperial, New Delhi.

A bottle of Kingfisher beer costs Rs. 250 at the hotel. Your average Indian guest can add only Rs. 150 more and get instead a fantastic wine by the glass such as an Italian wine imported directly. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a unique white wine from Tuscany that I bought to promote our Italian restaurant, San Gimignano, because the name of the wine and the restaurant is the same.

Rumor has it that Vikram Seth of A Suitable Boy fame, landed himself in a spot of trouble for drinking wine while on stage at the Jaipur Literature Festival this weekend. Local Hindi newspapers fumed at his "sinful" behaviour and misreported him as being drunk. "He should not drink alchol in front of an audience at a public function. It's disapproved of here," said Nikhil Gupta, a duvet seller in the bustling old market near Diggi Palace. Our opinion - its much ado about nothing. Literature and wine have a historic and symbiotic relationship lets not make it political.

One aspect of the growing interest in wine in India is the number of wine clubs that have cropped up. Nearly every city has at least one. From the small and select Sommelier India Women's Wine Circle to the rapidly expanding Wine Society of India, these clubs and societies are very different from each other - except for one goal which is common to all, ie, to foster a wine drinking culture in India.

The news on the ground is that the adverse events of the past year have caused wine sales to drop drastically in Delhi and other metros, but the sale of spirits is higher than ever before! Now, what could account for this turn of affairs? Is wine, bottle for bottle, more costly to drink? At which end of the market is whisky selling better than wine?