Arte della Tavola, they called it, and artistic it really was. Dharti Desai, Founder FineWinesnMore and Anil Chadha, general manager, ITC Windsor, Bangalore hosted wine connoisseurs in the city to an April evening of wonderful food paired with some of the best wines Tuscany has to offer, reports Ruma Singh. Left: Vir Sanghvi and Dharti Desai

Last Friday witnessed the end of an Australian wine odyssey for the New Delhi wine trade. The end, that is, until at least September of October this year. Since September 2009, the Australian Trade Commission and the unofficial ambassador for Australian wine in India, sommelier Harshal Shah have presented a series of tastings for the trade, showcasing regional Australian wine.

Talk about shattering preconceptions about wine. "Steven Spurrier's take on the current wine scenario is that the French are drinking less wine, the Chinese can't get enough and that India is the next big market," writes Parvathi Nayar. The setting was the wine dinner held at the Sheraton Park, Chennai.

Right: Steven Spurrier with the Terroir Chronicle 2009

Italy met New Zealand with great success at the latest Bangalore Wine Club event, A Taste of Italy, a sit-down dinner held on Friday 19th March. Hosted at Bangalore's well-known Italian restaurant, Via Milano, reports Ruma Singh, SI correspondent in Bangalore. The restaurant was filled to capacity at the dinner where a range of Montana wines from New Zealand were paired with Italian cuisine by Chef Paolo Nonino.

Can it be possible for International Women's Day to go by without a splendid celebration by W3 - a wine club that proudly welcomes only women to be members, wherein events may be open to male partners and spouses. Sonal Holland, wine consultant and patron member of W3, highlights this special evening where women and only women gathered together for an evening soiree.

Staged between March 21 to 23 in Dusseldorf, Germany, ProWein 2010 ended with record visitor and exhibitor figures, reports Reva K. Singh. Dusseldorf is a multi faceted cosmopolitan city and a well-known centre for trade fairs. It is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia which is Germany's most densely populated state with a population of 30 million within a radius of 150 km. The city's top notch facilities and infrastructure are well geared for prominent international events.

The Bangalore International Wine Festival is going to be held between 10th and 11th April, 2010 and will run from 12:00pm till 10:00pm at White Petals, Palace Grounds, Bangalore. The event will showcase wines from all over the world and allow wine drinkers and novices to experience and understand the vast world of wine. Speakers include Sommelier India columnist Alok Chandra and Dr. Krishana from the Karnataka Wine Board. Find more information here.

The fine dining Indian restaurant, Nawab Saheb, at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Center celebrated the month of love in a very unique manner with the Kamasutra Food Festival, writes Suneeta Sodhi Kanga. From 14th to 21st February, Chef Bhairav Singh, Master Indian Chef created the choicest, authentic Indian food preparations inspired by the ancient texts. Adding to the romance were heady wines from the Nandi hills. Right: Nawab Saheb restaurant

"As we are five cousins, of the third generation of the Dal Cero family, involved with wine production at our family winery, we are sure about the quality of our wines", said Francesca Dal Cero, Export Manager, Dal Cero F.lli Società Agricola, at an informal and enjoyable wine tasting evening on 4th March 2010 at Taj Blue Diamond, Pune, writes Brinda Gill.
Right: Nico Dal Cero, Sneha Chavan (Kiara Wines), Sandip Mukherjee (General Manager, Taj Blue Diamond Hotel), Francesca Dal Cero, Ravish Ahuja (Kiara Wines), and Shonal and Sajjid Chinoy.

So here we all were. Gathered by the pool at "The Club", that veritable private oasis in the midst of the cacophony of sight and sound of downtown Andheri. The wine brains trust of Mumbai town, were gathered on this particular Sunday in celebration of what else but Vino, Wein Vin..Wine!! What other reason is there to get out of bed on a Sunday?? A visitor's report.

In line with its promise and commitment to create signature and innovative events involving wine and related lifestyle experiences, W3 - the revolutionary all women's club in India paired up with Lancome, the world's leading make-up and skincare brand, for an afternoon weaving the magic of 'Wine and Beauty', reports Sonal Holland. Pictured from left to right: Chandni Dhall, Dharti Desai, Gul Panag, Craig Wedge, Kiran Patil, Sonal Holland and Dinesh Dayal

In 1997, an unassuming young viticulturalist and winemaker, Andrew Nugent, chanced his arm in the emerging wine region of the Adelaide Hills and planted vineyards and an olive grove on 100 acres in Woodside, Australia. Andrew dreamed of becoming a wine maker since his school days. Today "Bird in Hand" is the largest privately owned Wine group of Australia and has innumerable awards to its credit.
Right: Sumedh Singh Mandla, Jackie Mattai, Suneeta Sodhi Kanga and Justine Nugent

Sixteen of the Wine Society's luckiest members had the privilege of dining with Bernadette Thienpont - the maker of our Bordeaux Private Label - this past week at Valhalla Restaurant, Churchgate (Mumbai), writes Piyush Gadkari. The Wine Circle dinner - hosted by WSI Wine buyer and educator Myles Mayall - kicked off with some delicious Piper Heidsieck Champagne, a welcome drink for arriving members. Left: Bernadette Thienpont

Sunday! Traditionally it's a day of rest and recreation, where one can, without any degree of guilt or concern, sequester themselves as far away from the trials and tribulations often associated with the machinations of life in Mumbai town. Trust the pioneering spirit of the team from W3 to throw a spanner in the works. A brunch centered around a wine tutorial?? Now there is a new level of wine entertainment to be admired....
Left: Dharti Desai Founder W3, Nikki Palun of De Bortoli Wines, Chandni Dhall Partner W3

There's no better way to taste and judge medal-winning wine than to sit down in exclusive company over a 4-course gourmet meal paired with the wines. So when 50 wine lovers got the invitation to be present to try out the Nine Hills range of Reserve wines by Pernod-Ricard and have the first official tasting of the SIWC Gold medal winning Nine Hills Reserve Shiraz, few could refuse the offer.