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 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

Interesting conversation and commendable Australian wines come together at The Tasting Room in Mumbai on 11 February 2010. De Bortoli Wines from the Yarra Valley, in the country since four years now, organized the tasting in collaboration with FineWinesnMore. Vivacious Nikki Palun, Marketing & Trade Manager for Asia Pacific from De Bortoli Wines tells Naina Hiranandani what makes her wines so special.
Pictured left: Senior VP FineWinesnMore, Craig Wedge, CEO FineWinesnMore, Dharti Desai and Nikki Palun

Another year and another harvest season for most wine producers in India with one exception. 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of Sula Vineyards and its putting on a special Sulafest 2010 celebration on February 20th, 2010 in Nasik, Maharasthra. Don't miss it!

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.

Sometimes our wine industry is done a disservice by how it is represented in the media - whether that be the mainstream or the trade press. Recently in a trade consultant's newsletter, the Sommelier India Wine Competition results were misinterpreted and did an injustice to the winners. The record needs to be set straight as sloppy journalism drives uninformed opinions. Shiv Singh takes umbrage at the report.

"In the old days royalty travelled long distances with great fanfare and style. We would like to carry on the tradition and invite you to a luxurious afternoon in Mandwa (Alibaug). Ocean Blue will whisk you across the harbor to Ccaza Ccomodore for a lavish Miazma BBQ brunch." Sommelier India's Suneeta Sodhi Kanga found this invitation irresistible

Finding a decent glass of wine in India is enough to drive a person to drink. While wine is increasingly popular - consumption is expected to increase between 25 per cent and 30 per cent a year between 2009 and 2012 - polite drinkers would probably describe many of the over-sweet offerings from the nation's vineyards as "passable". Others would be able to come up with some much pithier descriptions says Jason Staines of Monocle, the well-regarded global briefining magazine.

We are pleased to note the growth of wine culture in the capital marked by the proliferation of wine clubs. To cater to a different demographic than that served by the established clubs in the city Isheeta Gupta has launched Saturday Wine Club at Ai which sounds like a fun place to be.

UB's formal launch of the Four Seasons Reserve range of wines took place in great style in Bangalore on 11 January 2010, writes Ruma Singh.
Left:Guests raising a toast to SIWC award winner Four Seasons Viognier

The Bangalore Wine Club crowned a year full of wine events with a glittering Christmas Gala on the Prince of Wales lawns at the Taj West End, Bangalore, in December, writes Ruma Singh. The lawns looked magical, lit up with fairy lights, Christmas wreaths, white damask and gold. Left: Bangalore Wine Club members enjoying the Christmas Gala